Ans: b

Exp:

The Union Health Ministry approved the introduction of a new treatment regimen (BPaLM regimen) for multi-drug- resistant tuberculosis in India.

• Multi-Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) MDR-TB: It occurs when Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that cause TB, become resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin, the two most potent TB drugs. 

Statement 1 is incorrect: Genetic predisposition is a genetic trait that, in response to environmental factors, may influence the potential phenotypic development of an individual organism within a species or community.

Antibiotic resistance is unrelated to the genetic tendency of a small minority of persons in a society. 

Statement 2 is correct: The rise of bacterial strains that are resistant to  antibiotics could be caused by the improper usage of antibiotic FDCs. 

Statement 3 is correct: use of ineffective formulations of drugs (such as use of single drugs, poor quality medicines or bad storage conditions), and

Statement 4 is correct: premature treatment interruption can cause drug resistance, which can then be transmitted, especially in crowded settings such as prisons and hospitals.

Statement 5 is correct: Using the antibiotics in livestock farming increases, the antibiotic multidrug resistance transfers in microbial pathogens. 

Ans: D 

Exp:

Context: A parcel of land in Uttar Pradesh, previously belonging to the family of former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, is set to be auctioned under The Enemy Property Act.

• • Statement 1 is Incorrect: Enemy Property refers to the properties left behind by individuals who migrated to China and Pakistan after the India-China war (1962) and India-Pakistan wars (1965, 1971) and took citizenship of those countries. 
    • These properties are under the custodianship of the Indian government.

• Not only limited to Real Estate: Besides real estate, enemy property may also include bank accounts, shares, gold, and other assets of such individuals.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: Highest Number: Uttar Pradesh (5,982) has the highest number of enemy properties, followed by West Bengal (4,354).

Ans: C

Exp:

About Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Bal Gangadhar Tilak was one of the most important leaders of the Indian Independence Movement. He is also known as ‘Father of Indian Unrest.

His contribution to National Movement:

• Journalism: Tilak used the power of the press effectively. 
  • His newspapers, the ‘Kesari’ (in Marathi) and the ‘Mahratta’ (in English), became the voice of nationalist sentiments, criticizing the British and enlightening the masses about their rights.
• Education:  Recognizing the power of education in creating a new generation of leaders, Tilak established institutions like the Fergusson College in Pune.
• He co-founded institutions like the ‘New English School’, the ‘Deccan Society for Education’, and ‘Fergusson College’, and presented a comprehensive educational blueprint to the Hunter Commission (1882 & 1919). 
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak also leveraged his paper ‘Maratha’ to advocate for the People, drawing upon Hindu scriptures and the Bhagavad Gita to support his arguments.

Ans: A

Exp:

The Supreme Court held that the process of judicial appointments to constitutional courts in the country is not the Chief Justices’ “prerogative” and must be consultative.

Constitutional Provisions: 

• Article 124: The appointment of Supreme Court judges should be made by the President after CONSULTATION with such judges of the High Courts and the Supreme Court as the President may deem necessary. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
• Article 217: The appointment of High Court judges should be made by the President after CONSULTATION with the CJI and the Governor of the state. Hence Statement 2 is incorrect.

Procedure of Appointment:

• Supreme Court Judges:

• • • Recommendations by Collegium: All appointments must be recommended by the collegium.
    • Government Approval: This recommendation is then sent to the Central government via the law minister and then the prime minister before the President’s approval.

• High Court Judges:

• • Recommendations of Collegium: High Court collegium must send a recommendation to the Chief Minister (CM) and the governor of the state.
  • Recommendations of State Executive: The governor will then send the recommendation to the Union Minister of Law and Justice, who will forward the recommendation to the CJI.
  • Government’s Approval:  The CJI, after being informed by the two senior-most judges of the SC, should send the recommendation to the Union Minister of Law and Justice.
  • He/she then puts the recommendations before the Prime Minister who will advise the President about the appointment.

Evolution of Collegium System:

• First Judges Case (1981): It declared that the “primacy” of the Chief Justice of India (CJI)s recommendation on judicial appointments and transfers can be refused for “cogent reasons.”

• This led to the Executive primacy over the Judiciary in judicial appointments 

• Second Judges Case (1993): SC introduced the Collegium system, holding that “consultation” really meant “concurrence”.

• It was not the CJI’s individual opinion, but an institutional opinion formed in consultation with the two senior-most judges in the SC.

• Third Judges Case (1998): SC on President’s reference expanded the Collegium to a five-member body, comprising the CJI and four of his senior-most colleagues.

• Fourth Judges Case (2015): The constitutional validity of both the Ninety-Ninth Constitutional Amendment and the NJAC Act, 2014, was challenged in the Supreme Court in 2015.

• A constitutional bench of five judges with a majority of 4:1 struck down the NJAC, declaring them unconstitutional and void, stating that it posed a threat to the independence of the judiciary.

Ans: D

Exp:

Context:  India successfully test-fired Agni-4, an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur off the Odisha coast.

About Agni Missile:

• • The Agni missiles are a series of medium to intercontinental-range ballistic missiles developed by India under its Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Hene Statement 1 is Incorrect
  • After its success, the Agni missile program was separated from the IGMDP upon realising its strategic importance.

• Cruise missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while ballistic missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase, after which they follow an arcing trajectory to the target. Hence Statement 2 is incorrect.

Variants of Agni Missiles:

• Agni I: It is a Medium Range Ballistic Missile with a Range of 700-800 km.

• Agni II: It is also a Medium Range Ballistic Missile with a Range more than 2000 km.

• Agni III: It is also an Inter-Medium Range Ballistic Missile with Range of more than 2,500 Km

• Agni IV: It is also an Inter-Medium Range Ballistic Missile with Range is more than 3,500 km and can fire from a road mobile launcher.

• It is a two-stage solid propellant missile. 

• Agni-V: Currently it is the longest of the Agni series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km. Statement 3 is Incorrect.

• Agni- VI: The longest of the Agni series, an ICBM with a range of ICBM 11,000–12,000 km.