Answer: (D)
In Police Custody, the accused is held at a police station under the physical control of the
police for investigation. The description provided (Magistrate's authority and jail) actually
describes Judicial Custody. Hence statement 1 is Incorrect.
In Judicial Custody, the accused is lodged in jail, and the police must obtain prior court
permission to interrogate them. The description provided (police lock-up and free
interrogation) actually describes Police Custody. Hence statement 2 is Incorrect.
Therefore option D is the correct answer.

Consider the following statements regarding the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023:
1. It provides 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative
Assemblies, and the Rajya Sabha.
2. The Women’s Reservation Bill introduces rotation of reserved constituencies.

Answer: (B)
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment Act) provides
reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Legislative
Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. It does not provide reservation in the
Rajya Sabha or the State Legislative Councils. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
The Act specifically includes a provision for the rotation of seats reserved for women. These
reserved seats will be rotated after every subsequent delimitation exercise as determined
by Parliament. Hence, statement 2 is correct. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Assertion (A): Parliament can modify the orders of the Delimitation Commission before they
come into force.
Reason (R): The Delimitation Commission is created by a law enacted by Parliament.

Answer: (C)
Parliament cannot modify the orders of the Delimitation Commission at any stage. Once the Commission finalizes and publishes its orders in the Gazette, they acquire the force of law automatically and come into effect as specified. These orders are neither subject to parliamentary modification nor open to judicial review, ensuring independence in the delimitation process. Hence assertion is incorrect.
The Delimitation Commission is a statutory body created through a law enacted by Parliament (Delimitation Commission Act). However, being created by Parliament does not imply that Parliament can control or alter its decisions, as the Commission is deliberately given independent and final authority. Hence the reason is correct.
Therefore option C is the correct answer.

With reference to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), consider the following
statements:
1. NDC is a non-binding climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate
impacts.
2. Countries need to update their NDCs every five years as required by the Paris
agreement.

Answer: (C)
Under the Paris Agreement (COP21), the specific targets (e.g., a $45\%$ reduction in emissions intensity) set by a country within its NDC are not legally binding at the international level. There are no international legal penalties if a country fails to meet its specific goals. The system relies on "name and shame," domestic accountability, and international pressure. However, countries are legally obligated to prepare, communicate, and maintain these NDCs. Hence statement 1 is correct.
The Paris Agreement requires each party to communicate a Nationally Determined Contribution every five years. Furthermore, according to the "Principle of Progression," each successive NDC must represent a progression beyond the country’s previous NDC and reflect its highest possible ambition. Hence statement 2 is Incorrect.
Therefore, Option C is the correct answer.

With reference to the Elephanta Caves, consider the following statements:
1. The caves are primarily dedicated to the Mahayana sect of Buddhism.
2. The Caves were primarily built under the Kalachuri dynasty.
3. They are carved out of solid basalt rock.

Answer: (B)
While there are remains of Buddhist stupas and two small caves on the eastern hill of the island, the Elephanta Caves are primarily Hindu caves dedicated to the Shaivite tradition (Lord Shiva). Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
Although later dynasties like the Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas contributed to or controlled the site, historical and numismatic evidence (finding of silver coins of King Krishnaraja) strongly attributes the primary construction of the main caves to the Kalachuri dynasty in the mid-6th century CE. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Like many other Western Indian rock-cut sites (such as Ajanta and Ellora), Elephanta is carved into the solid basalt rock of the Deccan Traps. This volcanic rock allowed for the creation of massive halls and intricate high-relief sculptures. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Its a dense, rapidly spinning neutron star that acts as a cosmic lighthouse, emitting steady
beams of radiation from its poles. They are so predictable that they serve as the universe's
most accurate natural timekeepers, helping scientists test the laws of physics. They are
formed from the collapsed remains of massive stars, concentrating immense magnetic and
gravitational forces into a sphere only a few kilometers wide.

Answer: (C)
Black Holes
Black holes are regions of spacetime where gravity is so intense that nothing, not even light, can escape. They form when the most massive stars (typically $>20$ times the mass of our Sun) undergo a supernova and their cores collapse beyond the neutron degeneracy pressure limit. They are characterized by a "singularity" at the center and an "event horizon" as the point of no return.
Red Giants
A Red Giant is an intermediate evolutionary stage of a low-to-intermediate mass star (like our Sun) that has exhausted the hydrogen in its core. As the core contracts and heats up, the outer layers expand and cool, giving the star a reddish appearance. This
stage marks the beginning of the end of a star's life before it eventually sheds its outer layers to form a nebula.
Pulsars
Pulsars are highly magnetized, rapidly rotating neutron stars that emit beams of electromagnetic radiation from their magnetic poles. These beams sweep across space like a lighthouse beam, creating a "pulsing" effect when observed from Earth. Due to
their extreme density and precise rotation periods, they serve as the universe's most accurate natural clocks.
White Dwarfs
A White Dwarf is the final evolutionary state of stars that are not massive enough to become neutron stars or black holes (stars like our Sun). After a Red Giant sheds its outer layers, only the hot, dense core remains. It is roughly the size of Earth but contains the mass of the Sun, and it will eventually cool down over billions of years to become a "Black Dwarf."
Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

Consider the following statements regarding National Scheduled Tribes Finance and
Development Corporation (NSTFDC):
1. It is a statutory body established under an Act of Parliament in 2001.
2. NSTFDC provides financial assistance to individuals by directly giving them loans.

Answer: (D)
The National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) is a Government of India company set up in 2001 under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. It is a Section 8 Company (not-for-profit) registered under the Companies Act. A statutory
body is created by a specific law passed by Parliament (like SEBI or NHRC); NSTFDC was created via executive action and registered as a company. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
While NSTFDC's ultimate goal is to provide financial assistance to ST individuals, it rarely does so directly. It operates as an Apex Institution. It provides concessional loans to State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs), Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), and Public Sector Banks, which then distribute the loans to the final beneficiaries. This "two-tier" structure is a standard feature of most national-level finance corporations. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Consider the following statements regarding Liquid Sodium.
1. Coolant in Fast Breeder Reactors
2. Heat transfer in Concentrated Solar Power
3. Reducing agent in Titanium extraction