Q1. With reference to the recent World Bank classification based on the Gini Index, which of the following statements is/are correct?
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: India’s Gini Index is 25.5, which puts it in the “moderately low” inequality category (25–30 range), not the “low inequality” group (below 25).
Statement 2 is correct: Countries like India and Finland are both in the “moderately low” inequality category, even though Finland has a robust welfare state and India does not.
Statement 3 is incorrect: A lower Gini Index indicates more equal distribution, but does not necessarily mean absolute poverty has declined. A country can be more equal but still poor.
Explanation:
The Gini Index measures inequality, not absolute prosperity. A low Gini value may reflect that everyone earns roughly the same, but if national income is low, that equality may be in shared poverty.
Option (a) is incorrect: Low Gini Index doesn’t imply low GDP growth.
Option (c) is factually wrong and lacks empirical basis.
Option (d) is an overgeneralization: Low inequality often enhances political stability in democracies.
Global Inequality Rankings by Gini Index
The latest World Bank data shows a Gini Index score of 25.5 for India, placing it among the most equal nations in relative terms. This figure is notably lower than China’s 35.7 and significantly below the United States’ 41.8.
India falls into the “moderately low inequality” category, defined by Gini scores between 25 and 30. It is only a fraction away from entering the “low inequality” group, which includes countries like the Slovak Republic (24.1), Slovenia (24.3), and Belarus (24.4).
Globally, just 30 countries fall into the moderately low inequality bracket. Many of them are European nations with strong welfare systems, such as Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Belgium.
The Gini Index is a standard metric used to evaluate the distribution of income, consumption, or wealth across a population. Scores range from 0 (perfect equality) to 100 (absolute inequality). A lower score indicates a more equitable society, while a higher score reflects greater disparity.
Explanation:
Assertion (A) is correct: The QUAD At Sea Ship Observer Mission reflects an effort to deepen maritime coordination, particularly on domain awareness and joint surveillance, which is central to QUAD’s security agenda in the Indo-Pacific.
Reason (R) is also correct: The Wilmington Declaration (2024) reaffirms the QUAD’s broader vision of a Free, Open, Inclusive, and Rules-Based Indo-Pacific, encompassing security, technological, economic, and health cooperation—not limited to military or hard power concerns.
And R is the correct explanation of A, as the observer mission stems directly from the strategic vision laid out in the Wilmington Declaration.
Explanation:
Statement I is incorrect: While most CARICOM full members are part of the Commonwealth, Haiti is not a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Statement II is correct: Belize is a full member of CARICOM, but it lies in Central America (mainland), and not within the Caribbean Sea region.
Statement III is correct: All associate members (e.g., Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands) are British Overseas Territories and non-sovereign.
Explanation:
Statement I – Correct: Guyana (in South America) and Belize (in Central America) are both full CARICOM members but are not Caribbean islands. They lie outside the Caribbean Sea region, though they are culturally and economically integrated into the Caribbean.
Statement II – Correct: Montserrat is a full member of CARICOM but is a British Overseas Territory, i.e., not a sovereign country. Hence, at least one member is not sovereign.
Statement III – Correct: The Treaty of Chaguaramas (1973) was signed by four countries — Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago — all of which had gained independence by that time.
Overview of CARICOM
CARICOM, or the Caribbean Community, is a regional organization that promotes political cooperation and economic integration among Caribbean nations. It was officially established on 4 July 1973 through the Treaty of Chaguaramas.
Members and Structure:
- The organization comprises 15 full member states: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago.
- Among these, Montserrat is the only non-sovereign member, while the remaining 14 are independent nation-states.
- Additionally, there are five Associate Members, all of which are British Overseas Territories: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and Turks & Caicos Islands.
Governance:
- The Chairmanship of CARICOM rotates every six months.
- It is held by the Head of Government of a member state, ensuring shared leadership and representation across the region.
Explanation:
- Assertion is correct: Chilika Lake supports a viable population of Irrawaddy dolphins, making it a vital conservation site. It provides shallow, protected, prey-rich waters, suitable for dolphin ecology.
- Reason is incorrect: The salinity profile of Chilika is not constant. It fluctuates seasonally and spatially—due to northern freshwater inflows and southern marine inflows. The hydrological connection to the sea varies, affecting water characteristics and biodiversity.
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: Olive Ridleys display both solitary and mass nesting (arribada) behaviour. The eastern Indian coast (Odisha)—notably Gahirmatha, Rushikulya, and Devi river mouths—is one of the very few global sites where arribadas occur.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The IUCN Red List categorizes them as Vulnerable, not Endangered. While occasional nesting has been recorded along the Arabian Sea (e.g., Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka), it is not a significant nesting zone compared to the Bay of Bengal coast. Saying they “are known to nest” on both coasts suggests equal ecological significance, which is misleading.
Statement 3 is correct: Despite being the smallest sea turtles, Olive Ridleys are the most abundant and widely distributed, found across tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. No other sea turtle has such a widespread range.
Olive Ridley Turtles: Global Distribution and Nesting Habits
Olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are the smallest and most numerous among all sea turtle species worldwide. Named for the olive-green hue of their distinctive, heart-shaped carapace, these turtles are typically found in the warm tropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.
The IUCN Red List classifies them as Vulnerable, indicating a high risk of endangerment in the wild.
One of the most remarkable natural events involving this species is mass nesting, known as arribada. The Odisha coast in India—home to the Rushikulya and Gahirmatha nesting beaches—hosts the world’s largest arribada for Olive ridleys. This is followed by significant nesting events along the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica.
Explanation:
Statement 1 — Correct
- Irrawaddy dolphins are found in freshwater rivers such as the Mekong (Cambodia-Laos), Mahakam (Indonesia), and Ayeyarwady (Myanmar).
- They also occur in brackish water ecosystems, including estuaries, deltas, and lagoons like Chilika in India.
- Their amphibious habitat use makes them unique among cetaceans.
Statement 2 — Correct
- The IUCN Red List categorizes Irrawaddy dolphins as Endangered, reflecting global population declines due to threats like accidental bycatch, habitat loss, and pollution.
- India provides the species with maximum legal protection under Schedule I, recognizing its conservation priority.
Statement 3 — Correct
- Chilika Lake, a brackish water lagoon and Ramsar Site, hosts the world’s largest known population of Irrawaddy dolphins in a single lagoon ecosystem.