Q1. Which principle of environmental law is most undermined by permitting ex post facto environmental clearances?
a) Public trust doctrine
b) Polluter-pays principle
c) Precautionary principle
d) Principle of proportionality
Correct Answer: (c)
Explanation:
• Precautionary principle requires prior environmental assessment.
• Ex post facto ECs allow post-construction regularisation, violating the “prior approval” mandate.
• Polluter-pays may also weaken, but the core conflict is with the precautionary principle.
Q2. Which Finance Commission first introduced the idea of formula-based, buoyancy-linked grants for local governments instead of ad hoc lump-sum allocations?
a) 12th FC
b) 13th FC
c) 14th FC
d) 15th FC
Correct Answer: (b)
Explanation:
• The 13th Finance Commission shifted to percentage-based, growth-linked transfers.
• 14th and 15th FCs later returned to lump-sum and conditional grants.
Q3. Which of the following concerns indicate pressure to align India’s sui generis system with UPOV-style IPR norms?
- Narrowing the scope of farmers’ rights
- Stronger exclusive rights for breeders
- Mandatory registration of all community-developed seeds
- Clearer definition of synthetic seeds
a) Only two
b) Only three
c) All four
d) Only one
Correct Answer: (a)
Explanation:
• UPOV pushes stronger breeder monopolies and restricted farmers’ seed freedoms.
• Mandatory registration of community seeds is a farmer-group demand, not UPOV pressure.
• Synthetic seed definition is a technological update, not an IPR-alignment agenda.
Q4. Threats to ginkgo-toothed beaked whales include:
- Marine noise pollution from naval sonar
- Prospective deep-sea mining activities
- Large-scale coastal habitat destruction
How many of the above statements are correct?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
Correct Answer: (b)
Explanation:
• Key threats: sonar disturbance, deep-sea mining, and bycatch.
• They inhabit deep ocean zones; coastal habitat destruction is not a major threat.
Q5. Consider the following statements regarding PET and rPET adoption:
- PET reduces logistics costs due to lower weight.
- rPET is currently more expensive than virgin PET.
- Some States do not permit the use of rPET under existing excise rules.
How many of the above statements are correct?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
Correct Answer: (c)
Explanation:
• All three are correct: PET lowers freight costs; rPET is costlier; and several States lack excise provisions allowing rPET use.
