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Answer: (A)
Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) refers to removed or milled-up pavement materials containing asphalt and aggregates that are processed and recycled into new construction projects.
Key Aspects of RAP Technology
Process: During road reconstruction or resurfacing, old asphalt layers are milled off. This material is hauled to a plant, crushed, screened, and tested, then blended with fresh aggregates, virgin bitumen, and recycling agents to create new asphalt mixtures.
Environmental Benefits: It significantly reduces the demand for virgin aggregates (sand, gravel, stone) and petroleum-based bitumen, conserving natural resources and lowering the carbon footprint of road construction.
Economic Viability: Reusing high percentages of existing materials cuts down on raw material procurement and transportation costs, making infrastructure development more cost-effective.
Circular Economy: It aligns with sustainable infrastructure goals by minimizing construction waste and diverting asphalt from landfills.
Therefore option A is the correct answer.
Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) refers to removed or milled-up pavement materials containing asphalt and aggregates that are processed and recycled into new construction projects.
Key Aspects of RAP Technology
Process: During road reconstruction or resurfacing, old asphalt layers are milled off. This material is hauled to a plant, crushed, screened, and tested, then blended with fresh aggregates, virgin bitumen, and recycling agents to create new asphalt mixtures.
Environmental Benefits: It significantly reduces the demand for virgin aggregates (sand, gravel, stone) and petroleum-based bitumen, conserving natural resources and lowering the carbon footprint of road construction.
Economic Viability: Reusing high percentages of existing materials cuts down on raw material procurement and transportation costs, making infrastructure development more cost-effective.
Circular Economy: It aligns with sustainable infrastructure goals by minimizing construction waste and diverting asphalt from landfills.
Therefore option A is the correct answer.
Consider the following statements regarding the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards 2024:
1. The award is the highest national recognition for outstanding achievements in adventure activities in India.
2. Awards were announced in all four categories—Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure and Lifetime Achievement—for the year 2024.
3. The award carries a status equivalent to that of the Arjuna Award.
1. The award is the highest national recognition for outstanding achievements in adventure activities in India.
2. Awards were announced in all four categories—Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure and Lifetime Achievement—for the year 2024.
3. The award carries a status equivalent to that of the Arjuna Award.
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Answer: (B)
Statement 1 is Correct: The Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards are the highest national recognition for outstanding achievements in adventure activities in India. The awards are conferred under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: The four categories/domains are Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure and Lifetime Achievement, but awards were not announced in all four for 2024.
○ Land Adventure: Baljeet Kaur and Skalzang Rigzin
○ Water Adventure: Rimo Saha
○ Air Adventure: No awardee announced
○ Lifetime Achievement: Shiv Prasad Chamoli
Statement 3 is Correct: The award carries a status equivalent to the Arjuna Award. Each awardee receives a bronze statuette, certificate and ₹15 lakh cash prize.
Therefore, option B is the correct answer.
Statement 1 is Correct: The Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards are the highest national recognition for outstanding achievements in adventure activities in India. The awards are conferred under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: The four categories/domains are Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure and Lifetime Achievement, but awards were not announced in all four for 2024.
○ Land Adventure: Baljeet Kaur and Skalzang Rigzin
○ Water Adventure: Rimo Saha
○ Air Adventure: No awardee announced
○ Lifetime Achievement: Shiv Prasad Chamoli
Statement 3 is Correct: The award carries a status equivalent to the Arjuna Award. Each awardee receives a bronze statuette, certificate and ₹15 lakh cash prize.
Therefore, option B is the correct answer.
India’s Connect Central Asia Policy was launched in 2012 to strengthen India’s engagement with the Central Asian Republics — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
India seeks better connectivity with Central Asia through initiatives such as Chabahar Port, the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and other multimodal routes.
Important for UPSC: Connect Central Asia Policy → 5 Central Asian Republics → Security → Connectivity → Economic & Energy Cooperation → Chabahar & INSTC.
India seeks better connectivity with Central Asia through initiatives such as Chabahar Port, the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and other multimodal routes.
Important for UPSC: Connect Central Asia Policy → 5 Central Asian Republics → Security → Connectivity → Economic & Energy Cooperation → Chabahar & INSTC.
Green hydrogen can reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and support the transition towards a low-carbon energy system.
Important for UPSC: Green Hydrogen → Water + Renewable Energy → Electrolysis → Low-carbon fuel → Hard-to-abate sectors → Energy security → National Green Hydrogen Mission.
Important for UPSC: Green Hydrogen → Water + Renewable Energy → Electrolysis → Low-carbon fuel → Hard-to-abate sectors → Energy security → National Green Hydrogen Mission.
Consider the following statements regarding the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PM-DDKY):
Statement I:
PM-DDKY seeks to address regional disparities in agricultural performance through a district-focused approach rather than providing a uniform benefit across all districts.
Statement II:
The districts covered under the scheme are identified using indicators relating to agricultural productivity.
Statement III:
The scheme creates an entirely new set of centrally sponsored schemes with dedicated funds transferred directly to farmers in the identified districts.
Statement I:
PM-DDKY seeks to address regional disparities in agricultural performance through a district-focused approach rather than providing a uniform benefit across all districts.
Statement II:
The districts covered under the scheme are identified using indicators relating to agricultural productivity.
Statement III:
The scheme creates an entirely new set of centrally sponsored schemes with dedicated funds transferred directly to farmers in the identified districts.
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Answer: (C)
Statement I is correct because PM-DDKY explicitly focuses on backward or low-performing districts through targeted interventions instead of distributing uniform benefits indiscriminately across the country.
Statement II is correct and explains Statement I because the core mechanism for targeting these regional disparities relies on specific distress indicators, namely low agricultural productivity, low cropping intensity, and low credit disbursement, combined with state representation.
Statement III is incorrect because PM-DDKY does not create an entirely new set of schemes or direct income transfers; instead, it strategically converges and merges 36 existing schemes from 11 different Union Ministries into a unified, synchronized support system under district-level planning.
Therefore, option C is the correct answer.
Statement I is correct because PM-DDKY explicitly focuses on backward or low-performing districts through targeted interventions instead of distributing uniform benefits indiscriminately across the country.
Statement II is correct and explains Statement I because the core mechanism for targeting these regional disparities relies on specific distress indicators, namely low agricultural productivity, low cropping intensity, and low credit disbursement, combined with state representation.
Statement III is incorrect because PM-DDKY does not create an entirely new set of schemes or direct income transfers; instead, it strategically converges and merges 36 existing schemes from 11 different Union Ministries into a unified, synchronized support system under district-level planning.
Therefore, option C is the correct answer.
Identify the invasive species on the basis of the following information:
1. It is a free-floating aquatic plant with broad, glossy leaves.
2. It can form dense mats on the surface of water bodies.
3. It spreads rapidly and can obstruct navigation and reduce dissolved oxygen in water.
4. It is commonly associated with freshwater bodies and is considered a major invasive aquatic weed.
1. It is a free-floating aquatic plant with broad, glossy leaves.
2. It can form dense mats on the surface of water bodies.
3. It spreads rapidly and can obstruct navigation and reduce dissolved oxygen in water.
4. It is commonly associated with freshwater bodies and is considered a major invasive aquatic weed.
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Answer: (A)
(a) Water hyacinth – Correct: It is a free-floating invasive aquatic plant that grows rapidly and forms dense mats on the surface of freshwater bodies. These mats can obstruct navigation, reduce light penetration and lower dissolved oxygen, adversely affecting aquatic ecosystems.
(b) Prosopis juliflora – Incorrect: It is an invasive terrestrial shrub/tree, commonly found in dry and semi-arid regions, and does not form floating mats on water bodies.
(c) Lantana camara – Incorrect: It is an invasive terrestrial shrub that can invade forests, grasslands and other terrestrial habitats.
(d) Parthenium hysterophorus – Incorrect: It is an invasive terrestrial herb, commonly known as Congress grass, which affects agricultural fields and natural ecosystems.
Therefore, option (a) Water hyacinth is the correct answer.
(a) Water hyacinth – Correct: It is a free-floating invasive aquatic plant that grows rapidly and forms dense mats on the surface of freshwater bodies. These mats can obstruct navigation, reduce light penetration and lower dissolved oxygen, adversely affecting aquatic ecosystems.
(b) Prosopis juliflora – Incorrect: It is an invasive terrestrial shrub/tree, commonly found in dry and semi-arid regions, and does not form floating mats on water bodies.
(c) Lantana camara – Incorrect: It is an invasive terrestrial shrub that can invade forests, grasslands and other terrestrial habitats.
(d) Parthenium hysterophorus – Incorrect: It is an invasive terrestrial herb, commonly known as Congress grass, which affects agricultural fields and natural ecosystems.
Therefore, option (a) Water hyacinth is the correct answer.
Consider the following statements with regard to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO):
1. The 26th SCO Summit was held under the Chairship of Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek.
2. The theme of the 26th SCO Summit was “25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity.”
3. The Summit adopted the Bishkek Declaration, while the 6th World Nomad Games opened in Bishkek.
4. Belarus became a full member of the SCO in 2024.
1. The 26th SCO Summit was held under the Chairship of Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek.
2. The theme of the 26th SCO Summit was “25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity.”
3. The Summit adopted the Bishkek Declaration, while the 6th World Nomad Games opened in Bishkek.
4. Belarus became a full member of the SCO in 2024.
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Answer: (D)
The 26th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (the SCO Summit 2026) was held in Bishkek under the rotating chairship of Kyrgyzstan. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
The official theme of the summit was “25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity,”
commemorating the 25th anniversary of the organisation's founding. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the Bishkek Declaration, and its timeline coincided with the grand opening of the 6th World Nomad Games in Bishkek, which was attended by leaders of SCO member nations. Hence Statement 3 is correct.
Belarus officially became the tenth full member state of the SCO at the Astana summit in 2024. Hence Statement 4 is correct.
Therefore, option D is the correct answer.
The 26th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (the SCO Summit 2026) was held in Bishkek under the rotating chairship of Kyrgyzstan. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
The official theme of the summit was “25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity,”
commemorating the 25th anniversary of the organisation's founding. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the Bishkek Declaration, and its timeline coincided with the grand opening of the 6th World Nomad Games in Bishkek, which was attended by leaders of SCO member nations. Hence Statement 3 is correct.
Belarus officially became the tenth full member state of the SCO at the Astana summit in 2024. Hence Statement 4 is correct.
Therefore, option D is the correct answer.
Consider the following statements regarding the strategic aim of the Scheme for Enhancement of Construction and Infrastructure Equipment (CIE):
1. It seeks to build a self-reliant domestic ecosystem by incentivizing local industries to design and manufacture niche, technologically advanced construction machinery.
2. It provides direct demand-side financial subsidies to infrastructure developers to accelerate the procurement and leasing of specialized foreign earthmoving equipment.
1. It seeks to build a self-reliant domestic ecosystem by incentivizing local industries to design and manufacture niche, technologically advanced construction machinery.
2. It provides direct demand-side financial subsidies to infrastructure developers to accelerate the procurement and leasing of specialized foreign earthmoving equipment.