Answer: (D)
Digital Platforms for Tracing Unclaimed Assets
1. Unclaimed Bank Deposits – UDGAM Portal
UDGAM is an RBI portal that enables a centralized search for unclaimed bank deposits across
banks, even after transfer to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund DEA Fund, with no
time limit for claiming by depositors or heirs.
2. Insurance Proceeds – Bima Bharosa Portal
Bima Bharosa is a portal to trace unclaimed insurance proceeds, which remain claimable by
policyholders or heirs even after transfer to the Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund SCWF, with
claims routed through the concerned insurer.
3. Mutual Fund Investments – MITRA Portal
The Mutual Fund Investment Tracing and Retrieval Assistant (MITRA), hosted on MF Central,
helps investors trace unclaimed or inactive mutual fund investments, which remain claimable
through the concerned Asset Management Company (AMC) or Registrar and Transfer Agent
(RTA) even after transfer to designated unclaimed schemes.
4. Dividends and Shares – IEPFA Portal
The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) portal enables individuals to
trace and claim unclaimed dividends and shares transferred after seven years, with no fee and
no time limit for filing claims.

With reference to the concept of Secularism in the Indian Constitution, consider the following
statements:
1. Indian secularism implies a strict separation between State and religion.
2. The Indian State can provide financial assistance for the maintenance of religious
institutions.
3. Secularism was explicitly inserted into the Preamble by the 42nd Constitutional
Amendment Act.

Answer: (B)
Statement 1: Incorrect
In the Indian context, secularism does not imply a strict wall of separation (like the
Western/European model), where State and religion never interact. The Indian Constitution
allows positive engagement with religions, and the State is required to maintain equal distance
from all religions rather than complete separation.
Indian secularism means:
• Equal treatment of all religions by the State.
• The State is neutral and not hostile to religion.
• The State can interact with religious institutions in limited and regulated ways (e.g.,
regulation under Articles 25–28).
Therefore, Statement 1 is incorrect. . Statement 2: Correct
While Article 27 of the Constitution prohibits the State from compelling citizens to fund
any particular religion through taxation, it does not entirely bar the State from providing
financial assistance to religious institutions as long as it does not favour one religion over
another. States can give financial support for infrastructure, cultural or social welfare
purposes (for example, temple renovation funds, grants, etc.), provided such schemes are applied
equally across religious groups.
Additionally, the Constitution allows the State to make laws regulating secular activities
associated with religious practice (Article 25).
Therefore, Statement 2 is correct.
Statement 3: Correct
The word “Secular” was not part of the original Preamble of the Indian Constitution adopted in
1950. It was introduced into the Preamble by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976
which amended the description of the Republic to: “Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic
Republic.” Therefore, Statement 3 is correct.

Lake Chad region is often in news due to insurgency-related issues. Lake Chad is bordered by
which of the following countries?
1. Nigeria
2. Niger
3. Chad
4. Cameroon

Answer: (C)
Lake Chad is a transboundary freshwater lake in north-central Africa. It is bordered by four
countries:
Nigeria – southwestern shore (Borno State)
Niger – northwestern shore
Chad – eastern and northeastern shore
Cameroon – southern shore
Because it lies at the junction of four countries, weak border management and difficult terrain
have made the Lake Chad basin vulnerable to cross-border insurgency and terrorism.
The Lake Chad region faces Islamist insurgency from Boko Haram and ISWAP, exploiting porous
borders, livelihood stress and weak governance, triggering violence, displacement and regional
instability, worsened by post-2011 Libya arms proliferation.

Consider the following statements regarding different types of fog:
1. Radiation fog is most likely to form under clear skies, calm wind conditions, and strong
surface temperature inversion.
2. Steam fog forms when warm, moist air passes over a colder surface, leading to
condensation due to adiabatic cooling.
3. Advection radiation fog is commonly observed along coasts where warm ocean currents
meet cold ocean currents.
4. Upslope fog involves condensation due to adiabatic cooling of air forced to ascend along
a terrain.
5. Frontal fog is more frequently associated with warm fronts than with cold fronts.

Answer A
Statement 1 is correct: “Radiation fog is most likely to form under clear skies, calm wind
conditions, and strong surface temperature inversion.”
• Radiation fog forms due to radiative cooling of the ground at night.
• Clear skies allow maximum heat loss, calm winds prevent mixing, and a temperature
inversion traps cold air near the surface.
• This is classic winter fog in plains and valleys.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: “Steam fog forms when warm, moist air passes over a colder surface,
leading to condensation due to adiabatic cooling.”
• This describes advection fog, not steam fog.
• Steam fog forms when cold air moves over warm water, causing evaporation first, then
condensation as moist air mixes with cold air above.
• Adiabatic cooling is NOT the primary mechanism in steam fog.
Statement 3 is correct: “Advectional radiation fog is commonly observed along coasts where
warm ocean currents meet cold ocean currents.”
• Warm, moist air advected over a cold surface → cooling + condensation.
• Famous examples:
• Newfoundland (Gulf Stream + Labrador Current)
• Japan (Kuroshio + Oyashio)

Term “advectional radiation fog” highlights horizontal movement + surface cooling.
Statement 4 is correct: “Upslope fog involves condensation due to adiabatic cooling of air forced
to ascend along a terrain.”

• Moist air rises along slopes → expands → cools adiabatically → saturation → fog.
• Seen in hilly and mountainous regions.

Statement 5 is correct: “Frontal fog is more frequently associated with warm fronts than with
cold fronts.”

• In warm fronts, warm moist air gradually overrides cold air, leading to
prolonged cooling and condensation near the surface.
• Cold fronts cause rapid uplift → more precipitation, less fog persistence.

Consider the following statements regarding INSV Kaundinya:
1. It is an indigenously built traditional stitched sailing vessel of the Indian Navy.
2. It has been constructed using modern composite materials to improve endurance.
3. Its maiden overseas voyage retraces ancient maritime routes between India’s western
coast and Oman.

Answer (B)
Statement 1 is correct: INSV Kaundinya is an indigenously built traditional stitched vessel.
Statement 2 is incorrect: It uses traditional stitched shipbuilding techniques and
natural materials, not modern composites.
Statement 3 is correct: The voyage retraces ancient maritime routes linking India and
Oman.

With reference to Taiwan and regional security, consider the following statements:
1. Taiwan lies to the east of the Taiwan Strait and faces the Pacific Ocean.
2. The majority of international recognition of Taiwan is limited due to the One China Policy.
3. The Strait of Taiwan connects the East China Sea to the South China Sea.

Answer: (D)
• Taiwan lies east of the Taiwan Strait and borders the Pacific Ocean. Therefore,
statement 1 is correct.
• Due to the One China Policy, only a few countries officially recognise Taiwan; most
maintain informal relations. Therefore, statement 2 is correct.
• The Taiwan Strait connects the East China Sea to the South China Sea; it lies
between mainland China and Taiwan. Therefore, statement 3 is correct.

With reference to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), consider the
following statements:
1. SAARC was established in 1985 with the objective of promoting the welfare of the
peoples of South Asia.
2. The SAARC Secretariat is located in Kathmandu and the organization functions on the
principle of sovereign equality of its member states.
3. SAARC takes decisions by majority voting to ensure effective regional cooperation.

Answer: (A)
Statement 1 is Correct: SAARC was established in 1985. According to the SAARC Charter
(Preamble and Article I), the primary objective of SAARC is to promote the welfare of the
peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life.
Statement 2 is Correct: The SAARC Secretariat is located in Kathmandu, Nepal, as
officially stated on the SAARC Secretariat’s mandate under the Charter. Further, Article II
of the SAARC Charter clearly mentions that cooperation shall be based on the principles of
sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, and non-interference in
internal affairs of member states.
Statement 3 is Incorrect: As per Article X of the SAARC Charter, “Decisions at all levels
shall be taken on the basis of unanimity.” SAARC does not follow majority voting. This
provision is one of the key institutional reasons for its limited effectiveness.

2) Consider the following statements regarding the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment
Mechanism (CBAM):
1. CBAM is designed to put a price on carbon emissions for imported carbon-intensive
goods and prevent “carbon leakage.”
2. CBAM will be fully implemented from 1st January 2026, after a transitional phase from
2023 to 2025.
3. CBAM applies only to goods produced within the EU.
4. CBAM certificates must be purchased by importers to cover emissions associated with
their goods.