Option (a) is correct

Explanation

• The Supreme Court agreed to examine a series of petitions alleging that the Tamil Nadu government is attempting to appoint “non-believers” as archakas (priests), contrary to the age-old Agamas governing temples in the State.
• The Agamas are a body of ancient Indian texts dealing with all rituals and ceremonies to be observed in temples.
• They deal with rules as to how each iconic representation of divinity (archa murthy) is to be conceived, constructed and worshipped.
• On identification of the temples constructed as per particular Agamas, the appointment of Archakas (priests) is governed accordingly.
• There are three main branches of the agamas:
  • Saivagamas (who worship Lord Shiva)
  • Saktagamas (worship Goddess)
  • Vaisnava Agama (worship Lord Vishnu)

Option (b) is correct

Explanation

• The Ministry of Home Affairs extended the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in parts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months.

About AFSPA:

• Statement 3 is correct: The Central Government, or the Governor of the State or administrator of the Union Territory can declare the whole or part of the State or Union Territory as a disturbed area.
  • A disturbed area is one which is declared by notification under Section 3 of the AFSPA.
• Statement 1 is correct: The Centre can take a decision to repeal AFSPA after getting a recommendation from the state government.
• Statement 2 is not correct: There can be no prosecution or legal proceedings against them without the prior approval of the Centre.
• Any person arrested or taken into custody may be handed over to the officer in charge of the nearest police station along with a report detailing the circumstances that led to the arrest.
• The AFSPA has been called draconian, as it  provides blanket impunity to security personnel involved in military operations.

Option (d) is correct.

Explanation: 

• India recently reached out to Australia to procure monoclonal antibody doses to combat the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala. 
• Statement 1 is not correct: Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the behaviour of antibodies produced by the immune system to protect against diseases and foreign substances.
• Statement 2 is not correct: Monoclonal antibodies are clones of just one antibody, and they bind to one antigen only. 
• Polyclonal antibodies come from several different types of immune cells and bind to more than one antigen.
• Statement 3 is not correct: Monoclonal antibodies are not used to boost natural immunity but rather to provide a specific treatment for those already infected.

Option (c) is correct

Explanation

• India’s participation in the WTO’s agriculture committee meeting highlights that its export ban on rice is framed as a regulation rather than a restriction.
• The Uruguay Round, conducted from 1987 to 1994, culminated in the Marrakesh Agreement, which established the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. 
• It superseded the 1947 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) created in the wake of World War II.

Option (d) is correct

Explanation

• Statement 1 is not correct: American agronomist Norman E. Borlaug is regarded as the Father of Green Revolution in the world. 
  • Dr. M.S. Swaminathan is known as the father of the green revolution in India.
• Statement 2 is not correct: The Green revolution concentrated only on increasing the production of wheat, rice and some cash crops rather than coarse cereals. 
• Statement 3 is not correct: Under it, low interest loans were provided to the small and marginal farmers by the government to buy scientific inputs. 
• Statement 4 is not correct: The continued inefficient agricultural practices of green revolution over a long term resulted in adverse impacts like in loss of biodiversity, the lowering of the water table, increased salinization, an increased use of pesticides (leaving residuals in the environment), and increased rural inequalities.