Q1.
The “rarest of rare” doctrine in awarding death penalty was laid down in:
A) Kesavananda Bharati case
B) Bachan Singh vs State of Punjab
C) Maneka Gandhi vs Union of India
D) Shreya Singhal vs Union of India
Answer: B
Explanation :
- Bachan Singh (1980) upheld constitutionality of death penalty but restricted it to “rarest of rare.”
- Court mandated balancing aggravating vs mitigating factors.
- Forms core of India’s death penalty jurisprudence.
Q2.
With reference to bio-based chemicals, consider the following statements:
- They are derived primarily from fossil fuels but processed through biological routes.
- They can be produced using fermentation or enzymatic processes.
- They generally have a lower lifecycle carbon footprint than petrochemicals.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A) 2 and 3 only
B) 1 and 2 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A
Explanation :
- Bio-based = derived from biomass, not fossil fuels.
- Lower lifecycle emissions make them relevant for net-zero goals and circular economy.
Q3.
Which of the following schemes directly support renewable energy deployment?
- Green Energy Corridor
- PM Surya Ghar Rooftop Solar
- ISTS charge waivers for renewables
- UDAY scheme
Select the correct answer:
A) 1, 2 and 3 only
B) 2 and 4 only
C) 1 and 4 only
D) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: A
Explanation :
- UDAY focuses on DISCOM financial health, not direct RE deployment.
- Green Energy Corridor + ISTS waivers solve transmission barriers for renewables.
Q4.
Which of the following sectors are expected to gain productivity from AI?
- Agriculture
- Healthcare
- Education
- Mining
Select the correct answer:
A) 1, 2 and 3 only
B) 2 and 4 only
C) 1 and 4 only
D) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: D
Explanation :
- AI aids precision agriculture, diagnostics, adaptive learning, and mineral exploration.
- AI applications across primary–tertiary sectors.
Q5.
The CHEOPS mission, recently in news, is associated with:
A) Detecting gravitational waves
B) Mapping dark matter
C) Characterising known exoplanets
D) Human spaceflight missions
Answer: C
Explanation :
- ESA mission (2019) to measure size, density, and orbit of exoplanets.
- Complements NASA’s TESS and JWST.
- Focuses on characterisation, not discovery.
