With reference to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) under the Companies Act, 2013,
consider the following statements:
1. CSR spending by eligible companies is at least 2% of the average net profits of the
immediately preceding three financial years.
2. The CSR obligation applies only to private sector companies and does not extend to
public sector undertakings.
3. Expenditure incurred on employee welfare activities exclusively for company
employees is not considered as CSR expenditure.

Answer: (A)
Statement 1 is correct: CSR spending by eligible companies is fixed at a minimum of 2% of
the average net profits of the immediately preceding three financial years, as mandated
under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013. The use of an average profit base ensures
consistency in CSR obligations and prevents distortion due to short-term profit fluctuations.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The CSR framework in India is sector-neutral and applies to both
private companies and public sector undertakings (PSUs), provided they meet the
prescribed financial thresholds. Excluding PSUs from CSR would defeat the statutory intent,
especially since PSUs are major contributors to CSR spending.
Statement 3 is correct: CSR activities are intended to generate social benefits beyond a
company’s internal stakeholders. Consequently, expenditures incurred exclusively for
employee welfare such as staff amenities or benefits limited to employees are explicitly
excluded from CSR under the CSR Rules.

The recognition of the right to live in a healthy and pollution-free environment as part of Article
21 of the Constitution reflects which of the following constitutional developments?
(a) Expansion of Directive Principles into enforceable rights
(b) Judicial interpretation of the right to life to include environmental quality
(c) Transfer of environmental regulation from legislature to judiciary
(d) Conversion of Fundamental Duties into Fundamental Rights

Answer: (B)
The Supreme Court of India has consistently held that Article 21 (Right to Life) is not limited
to mere animal existence but includes the right to live with human dignity and quality of life.
Using this expansive and purposive interpretation, the Court brought environmental quality
within the scope of Article 21.
This constitutional development is reflected in authoritative Supreme Court judgments:
• In Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra v. State of U.P. (1985), the Court for the
first time recognised that environmental degradation directly affects the right to life
under Article 21.
• In M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (1987), the Court explicitly held that the right to live
in a pollution-free environment is part of the fundamental right to life under Article
21.

With reference to the electric flying taxi SYL-X1 developed by Sarla Aviation, consider the
following statements:
1. SYL-X1 is an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft under private
sector development in India.
2. eVTOL aircraft use distributed electric propulsion systems instead of a single main
engine.
3. eVTOL aircraft can operate without any runway due to vertical take-off and landing
capability.
4. Current eVTOL designs completely eliminate the need for aerodynamic lift
generated by wings.

Answer: (B)
Statement 1 is correct: SYL-X1 is an electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft
developed by Bengaluru-based private firm Sarla Aviation. It is intended for urban air mobility
as an electric flying taxi, marking a significant private-sector innovation in India’s civil aviation
ecosystem.
Statement 2 is correct: Most eVTOL aircraft, including SYL-X1-type designs, use Distributed
Electric Propulsion (DEP). Instead of one large engine, multiple electric motors and rotors are
placed across the airframe.
This improves:
• Redundancy and safety (failure of one motor does not cause loss of control),
• Energy efficiency, and
• Noise reduction, which is crucial for urban operations.
Statement 3 is correct: eVTOL aircraft are capable of vertical take-off and landing, allowing
them to operate from vertiports, rooftops, or compact urban spaces. Hence, no conventional
runway is required, unlike fixed-wing airplanes. This feature makes eVTOLs suitable for
congested city environments.
Statement 4 is incorrect: This is a common misconception. While eVTOLs take off vertically
like helicopters, most current designs use wings to generate aerodynamic lift during forward
(cruise) flight.
Using wings:
• Reduces dependence on rotors for lift,
• Saves battery energy,
• Increases range and endurance.
Only purely rotor-based vehicles (like helicopters) eliminate wing-generated lift, but such
designs are less energy-efficient for electric flight.

With reference to the Competition Commission of India (CCI), consider the following
statements:
1. The Competition Commission of India is a statutory body established under the
Competition Act, 2002 and functions under the administrative control of the
Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
2. The Chairperson and Members of the Commission must have a minimum of fifteen
years of professional experience in competition law only.
3. The Competition Commission of India is empowered to give its opinion on
competition-related issues when a reference is made by a statutory authority
established under any law.
4. Competition advocacy, public awareness, and imparting training on competition
issues form part of the statutory mandate of the Competition Commission of India.

Answer: (A)
Statement 1 is Correct: The Competition Commission of India is a statutory body established
under the Competition Act, 2002. It functions under the administrative control (nodal ministry)
of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The Commission was constituted in 2003 and became fully
operational in 2009.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Act does not restrict eligibility only to competition law. The
Chairperson and Members must have not less than 15 years of professional experience in any
one or more of a wide range of fields such as economics, international trade, business,
commerce, law, finance, accountancy, management, industry, technology, public affairs, or
competition matters.
Statement 3 is Correct: Under the Competition Act, the CCI is required to give its opinion on
competition issues when a reference is received from a statutory authority established under
any law.
Statement 4 is Correct: Apart from enforcement, the CCI has a competition advocacy
mandate, which includes:
• Creating public awareness
• Imparting training
• Promoting a competition culture

Anjadip, recently inducted into the Indian Navy, is best described as:
(a) A missile destroyer for blue-water operations
(b) An indigenous anti-submarine shallow water craft
(c) A mine countermeasure vessel
(d) A nuclear-powered attack submarine

Answer: (B)
INS Anjadip is an indigenously designed and built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water
Craft (ASW-SWC) inducted into the Indian Navy.
• It is meant for coastal and shallow-water operations, not deep blue-water combat.
• Its primary role is detection, tracking, and engagement of submarines using
indigenous sonar, lightweight torpedoes, and anti-submarine rockets.
• It is neither a missile destroyer, nor a mine countermeasure vessel, and not
nuclear-powered.

Consider the following statements regarding the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and
Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA):
1. Under AI-ECTA, tariff elimination commitments by India cover over 90% of Australian
exports by value, achieved through a mix of immediate and phased reductions.
2. Australia provided near-complete tariff-free access to Indian goods at the time of entry
into force, with full coverage scheduled by 2026.
3. AI-ECTA establishes a permanent and legally exhaustive framework for goods, services,
and investment between India and Australia, thereby limiting the scope for renegotiation
under a future CECA.

Answer: (A)
Statement 1 is correct: Under AI-ECTA, India has agreed to eliminate or phase out tariffs on the
majority of Australian goods exports, with tariffs on over 85% of Australia’s goods exports
eliminated on entry into force, and tariff elimination commitments rising to cover 90% by value
by 1 January 2026 through further phased reductions.
Statement 2 is also correct According to the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade, 96 % of imports from India into Australia are tariff-free immediately upon
AI-ECTA’s entry into force, with this rising to almost 100 % by 1 January 2026.
Statement 3 (Incorrect) AI-ECTA is described as a “stepping stone” towards a more ambitious
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). Negotiations on CECA are ongoing
and aim to build on the existing outcomes of AI-ECTA (e.g., deeper market access in goods,
services, investment, and other areas). There is no official language calling AI-ECTA a
permanent, comprehensive or exhaustive final framework in fact, AI-ECTA emphasise that it
is an interim or early-harvest agreement leading to CECA

With reference to maternal mortality in India, consider the following statements:
1. Institutional deliveries play a significant role in reducing maternal mortality.
2. Janani Suraksha Yojana provides conditional cash transfers to promote safe delivery.

Answer: (C)
Statement 1 is Correct:
Deliveries conducted in health institutions ensure the presence of skilled birth attendants,
availability of emergency obstetric care, timely management of complications like hemorrhage
or sepsis, and proper postnatal care. This significantly reduces maternal deaths in India.
Statement 2 is Correct:
JSY is a centrally sponsored scheme under the National Health Mission that offers cash
incentives to pregnant women (especially from poor households) for institutional deliveries,
thereby encouraging safe childbirth and reducing maternal mortality.

Consider the following statements regarding the Quality Council of India (QCI).
1. The Quality Council of India is a statutory body established under an Act of Parliament
to promote quality standards across sectors.
2. The Quality Council of India was set up jointly by the Government of India and Indian
industry to establish and operate national accreditation structures.