Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the time limit for pronouncement of judgments in India:
- The Constitution of India prescribes a statutory time limit of six months for pronouncing judgments after being reserved.
- The six-month guideline for judgment delivery was laid down by the Supreme Court in Anil Rai v. State of Bihar (2001).
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) Both 1 and 2
b) 1 only
c) Neither 1 nor 2
d) 2 only
Answer: d) 2 only
Explanation:
- There is no statutory or constitutional mandate fixing a time limit for judgment delivery.
- In Anil Rai v. State of Bihar (2001), the Supreme Court held that judgments should ordinarily be delivered within six months of being reserved — a judicial guideline, not a legal requirement.
Q2. Under which legislation does the Union Government have the power to fix royalty rates for minerals in India?
a) Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2017
b) National Mineral Policy, 2019
c) Indian Mining Act, 1948
d) Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957
Answer: d) Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957
Explanation:
The MMDR Act, 1957 empowers the Union Government to determine and revise royalty rates for various minerals to regulate mineral development in India.
Q3. Consider the following statements regarding the Global Climate Risk Index (GCRI):
- It is released annually by Germanwatch, an environmental NGO based in Germany.
- The Index measures countries’ losses and fatalities due to extreme weather events, not greenhouse gas emissions.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) Both 1 and 2
b) 1 only
c) 2 only
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: a) Both 1 and 2
Explanation:
- Germanwatch publishes the GCRI annually.
- The Index assesses climate vulnerability based on human and economic losses from extreme weather, not emission levels.
Q4. Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by which type of pathogen?
a) Virus
b) Protozoan
c) Fungus
d) Bacterium
Answer: d) Bacterium
Explanation:
TB is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily affects the lungs but can also spread to other organs (extrapulmonary TB).
Q5. Project Cheetah is implemented under which statutory authority in India?
a) Central Zoo Authority (CZA)
b) National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
c) Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
d) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change directly
Answer: b) National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
Explanation:
Project Cheetah is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented under the NTCA, in collaboration with the WII and the MoEFCC, to restore cheetahs to Indian ecosystems.
