Q.3. What is Pontus, which was recently discovered?

A. A newly formed volcanic island chain in the Indian Ocean.

B. A massive ancient tectonic plate found in the western Pacific.

C. A type of deep-sea coral reef ecosystem.

D. A mineral deposit rich in rare earth elements.

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Q.1. Consider the following Geographical Indication (GI) tags and their corresponding states:

1. Banglar muslin : West Bengal

2. Ambaji White Marble : Gujrat

3. Narasapur Crochet Lace Products : Andhra Pradesh

Q.2. Consider the following statements :

1. The pattern of having lots of species at the equator with diversity dwindling off towards the poles is known as the Latitudinal Diversity Gradient .

2. The expansion of Tropical Species into Temperate regions has been called as Borealisation .

Q.2. EI-Nino is merely an extension of the warm equatorial current which gets replaced temporarily by cold Peruvian current or Humbolt current (locate these currents in your atlas). This current increases the temperature of water on the Peruvian coast by 10°C. This results in :

1. The distortion of equatorial atmospheric circulation

2. Irregularities in the evaporation of sea water 3. Reduction in the amount of planktons which further reduces the number of fish in the sea.

Q.1.What causes rainfall on the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu in the beginning of winters?

A. South-West monsoon

B. Temperate cyclones

C. North-Eastern monsoon

D. Local air circulation

Q.2. Choose the correct statement about Rate of Plate Movement in context with Theory of Plate Tectonics:

1. The strips of normal and reverse magnetic field that parallel the midoceanic ridges help scientists determine the rates of plate movement.

2. The Arctic Ridge has the slowest rate (less than 2.5 cm/yr), and the East Pacific Rise near Easter Island, in the South Pacific about 3,400 km west of Chile, has the fastest rate (more than 15 cm/yr).

Q.3. With reference to the Constitutional and legal provisions related to remission in India, consider the following statements:

1. The President of India can grant remission for any sentence, including those passed by a court martial or for a death sentence.

2. The Governor's power to grant remission is limited to matters under the executive authority of the state.

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Q.1. With reference to the key features of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, consider the following statements:

1. Town Vending Committees (TVCs) must include at least 40% of their members as street vendors, with one-third of them being women.

2. The ceiling limit for the number of street vendors in a city is set at 2.5% of the population of the ward or zone.

3. Grievance redressal committees must be chaired by a serving judicial officer to ensure impartiality.