Ans: B

Exp:

A seven-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court overruled its 1967 decision in S. Azeez Basha v. Union of India which held that the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is not a minority institution.

To determine if an institution actually has a minority character, the court held that it would have to “pierce the veil” and look into how it was established. To do this, it laid down certain criteria or “indicia” that must be considered as a part of a two-fold test.

Statement 1 is Correct: ESTABLISHMENT: The origins and purpose behind the establishment of the institution.

• The Supreme Court emphasized that understanding the origins and purpose of an institution is crucial in determining its minority character. This means that the court would look into who conceived the idea for the institution and why it was established—whether the founding goal was specifically to serve and advance the educational needs of a particular minority community.
• This focus on origins and purpose is foundational to the “holistic and realistic” test, as it clarifies whether the institution was primarily intended to benefit a minority group under Article 30(1) of the Indian Constitution.

Statement 2 is Correct: ADMINISTRATION: The administrative setup and whether it reflects the interests of the minority community.

• • The Supreme Court ruled that assessing the administration’s alignment with the interests of the minority community is an essential criterion for determining the minority character of an institution. This involves examining whether the administrative structure safeguards and promotes the educational and cultural interests of the minority.

• The focus on administration highlights the principle that control over day-to-day operations should ideally remain in line with the interests of the minority community, ensuring that the institution operates in a way that fulfills the original mission for which it was established.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: The proportion of minority students currently enrolled.

• The Supreme Court clarified that the proportion of minority students enrolled is not a sole or decisive factor in determining the minority character of an institution. An institution does not lose its minority status if it admits non-minority students, nor is it required to maintain a specific proportion of minority students to retain its status.

Ans: A

Exp:

The US Federal Reserve cut interest rates Thursday by 25 basis points (or one quarter of a percentage point), the second reduction of 2024, while continuing to signal that inflation is coming under control. 

• Statement 1 is correct: A U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cut can encourage currency carry trade because it widens the interest rate differential between the U.S. and other countries, making countries with higher interest rates (such as India) more attractive for investors looking for better returns.
  • Currency carry trade: Financial strategy where investors borrow money in a currency with a low interest rate and invest it in a currency with a higher interest rate.
    • Goal is to profit from the interest rate differential between the two currencies
• Statement 2 is incorrect: A rate cut does not decrease arbitrage opportunities; rather, it can increase them. 
  • With lower interest rates in the U.S., foreign investors are more likely to invest in countries offering higher interest rates to take advantage of the difference (arbitrage).

Ans: A

Exp: 

Ahead of the Maharashtra elections, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) recommended the inclusion of seven castes and sub-castes from the state in the Central list of Other Backward Classes (OBC).

About National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC):

Evolution:

• Statement 1 is correct: The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was recommended in the 1992 Indra Sawhney v. Union of India Supreme Court judgement.
  • Parliament passed the National Commission for Backward Classes Act in 1993 and constituted the NCBC.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 2018: inserted a new Article 338-B in the constitution and provided Constitutional status to NCBC.

Composition:

• The Commission consists of a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and three other Members in the rank & pay of Secretary to the Govt of India.

Statement 3 is not correct: Conditions of Service and Tenure: office of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and other Members is determined by the President.

Ans: C

Exp: 

Historians say that shifting the capital of the Bahmani kingdom from Gulbarga to Bidar was a strategic move as it made easier to administer the kingdom and the Birder’s hilly terrain provided a security

• Statement 1 is correct: The capital of the Bahmani Sultanate was shifted from Gulbarga (now Kalaburagi) to Bidar during the reign of Ahmad Shah I in 1422.
• Statement 2 is not correct: The Mahmud Gawan Madrasa was not built during the rule of Alauddin Hasan Gangu Bahman Shah.
  • It was built in 1472 during the later period of the Bahmani Sultanate when Mahmud Gawan was the prime minister. 
  • Alauddin Hasan Gangu Bahman Shah was the founder of the Bahmani dynasty and ruled much earlier.

Statement 3 is correct: Bidar was chosen as the new capital because of its strategic location, including the hilly terrain that provided security and its connectivity to trade routes, which supported economic growth and political stability.

Ans: B
Exp:

“Nations must dramatically increase climate adaptation efforts, starting with a commitment to act on finance at COP29,” says the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Adaptation Gap Report 2024: Come hell and high water released on November 7, 2024.

• Pair 1 is incorrect: The Adaptation Gap Report is an annual publication by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 
  • It assesses progress in global climate adaptation and identifies funding gaps.
• Pair 2 is correct: The Emissions Gap Report is published by UNEP and focuses on emissions reduction targets.
• Pair 3 is incorrect: The Global Climate Risk Index is published by Germanwatch, not the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
  • It ranks countries based on vulnerability to climate impacts from extreme weather events.
• Pair 4 is correct: The State of the Global Climate is published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

It provides an annual summary of key climate indicators, including temperature and sea levels.