Consider the following statements regarding the SMILE Scheme:
1. It is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment.
2. It provides rehabilitation and livelihood support to transgender persons and persons
engaged in begging.

Answer: (C)
The SMILE Scheme (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and
Enterprise) is structured as an umbrella Central Sector Scheme funded fully by the
Central Government under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Hence Statement 1 is correct.
It is specifically designed to provide comprehensive welfare, rehabilitation, and
livelihood support to two target groups: transgender persons and persons engaged
in the act of begging. Hence Statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

The Government of India recently deposited its Instrument of Acceptance to become a Party
to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. The Agreement,
adopted at the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), seeks to discipline harmful
fisheries subsidies while promoting the sustainable use of marine resources.

With reference to the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, consider the following
statements:
1. It prohibits subsidies to vessels or operators engaged in Illegal, Unreported and
Unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as subsidies for fishing overfished stocks.
2. The Agreement enters into force only after formal acceptance by two-thirds of the
WTO members.
3. It provides Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) provisions, including
transitional flexibilities for developing and least-developed countries in respect of
certain fishing activities within their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs).

Answer: (D)
● Statement 1 is correct: The Agreement prohibits subsidies granted to vessels or operators
engaged in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. It also bans subsidies for
fishing overfished stocks, unless measures are in place to rebuild those stocks to
biologically sustainable levels.
● Statement 2 is correct: The Agreement is a new WTO multilateral agreement and enters
into force only after two-thirds of WTO members deposit their Instruments of Acceptance
with the WTO.
● Statement 3 is correct: The Agreement incorporates Special and Differential Treatment
(S&DT) provisions for developing and least-developed countries (LDCs). These include
transitional flexibilities, technical assistance, and capacity-building support to facilitate
implementation, particularly for certain fishing activities within their Exclusive Economic
Zones (EEZs).
● Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

With reference to the Sundarbans National Park, consider the following statements:
1. The Hooghly River flows along the western boundary of the Sundarbans National
Park.
2. The Sundarbans National Park is designated as a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger.

Answer: (C)
● Statement 1 is correct: The Hooghly River forms the western boundary of the larger
Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem and Biosphere Reserve in West Bengal, India.
● Statement 2 is correct: The region was declared a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger
in 1973 (one of the original nine tiger reserves declared at the launch of Project Tiger).
The core area of this reserve was later designated as a National Park in 1984.

Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

Consider the following statements:
1. A futures contract gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the
underlying asset.
2. An options contract imposes a binding obligation on both the buyer and the seller to
execute the contract.

Answer: (D)
● Statement 1 is incorrect : This description actually defines an options contract, not a futures contract. An option gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy (call option) or sell (put option) the underlying asset at a specified price on or before a certain date.
● Statement 2 is incorrect : This description defines a futures contract, not an options contract. A futures contract is a binding agreement between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined future date and price, creating an obligation for both the buyer and the seller to fulfill the terms of the contract.

Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Consider the following statements about Carbon Fibre Composite:
1. Carbon fibre composites are made by combining carbon fibres with a polymer resin.
2. Carbon fibre composites exhibit a higher strength-to-weight ratio compared to
traditional structural steel.

Answer: (C)
● Statement 1 is correct: A composite material is created by combining two or more distinct components. In the case of carbon fibre composites (often called carbon fibre reinforced polymers, or CFRP), thin strands of carbon atoms (the fibres) provide the tensile strength, while a polymer resin matrix (like epoxy or polyurethane) binds them together, distributes the load, and protects the fibres from environmental damage.
● Statement 2 is correct: One of the primary reasons carbon fibre composites are highly valued in aerospace, automotive, and high-performance engineering is their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. They can be up to five times stronger than structural steel while weighing only about one-fifth as much.

Therefore, option C is the correct answer

With reference to Batukeshwar Dutt, consider the following statements:
1. He was a member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).
2. Along with Bhagat Singh, he threw non-lethal bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly to protest the Public Safety Bill and Trade Disputes Bill.