Q1. Which of the following countries is correctly matched with its strategic contribution to Pax Silica?
A. Australia – Leader in EUV lithography technology
B. Netherlands – Major exporter of lithium
C. South Korea – Global manufacturing leader in memory chips
D. Israel – Largest producer of rare earth elements
Answer: C
Explanation:
- South Korea is a global leader in memory chips (DRAM, NAND).
- Netherlands hosts ASML, the sole supplier of EUV lithography machines.
- Australia is a major lithium exporter.
- Israel specialises in AI, defence technologies, and cybersecurity, not REEs.
Q2. With reference to expendable launch vehicles such as PSLV and LVM-3, consider the following statements:
- All stages are designed for reuse.
- Stages are typically discarded after use, often falling into the ocean.
- They generally have higher per-launch costs compared to reusable rockets.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is incorrect: PSLV and LVM-3 are expendable, not reusable.
- Statements 2 and 3 are correct: stages are discarded and costs per launch are higher than reusable systems.
Q3. The doctrine of constitutional tort in India was primarily developed through which of the following cases?
- Rudul Sah v. State of Bihar
- Nilabati Behera v. State of Odisha
- Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India
Select the correct answer using the code below:
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A
Explanation:
- Rudul Sah (1983) and Nilabati Behera (1993) established State liability and public law compensation.
- Maneka Gandhi expanded Article 21 but did not deal with constitutional torts.
Q4. The Chagos Islands dispute is primarily between which of the following countries?
A. United Kingdom and Seychelles
B. United Kingdom and Mauritius
C. United States and Mauritius
D. United Kingdom and Maldives
Answer: B
Explanation:
The dispute is between the United Kingdom and Mauritius. The UK detached the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965, prior to Mauritian independence.
Q5.
Assertion (A): Darwin’s bark spider produces the toughest biological silk ever tested.
Reason (R): Its dragline silk has a tensile strength of about 1.6 GPa, which is higher than that of iron.
A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C. A is true, but R is false
D. A is false, but R is true
Answer: A
Explanation:
Darwin’s bark spider silk (~1.6 GPa) is about three times stronger than iron, explaining why it is the toughest biological material known.
