The ‘23for23’ campaign promotes awareness and community participation for conserving the snow-leopard landscape — protecting both predator and prey species (e.g., Urial, Argali, Marmot). It is not a captive-breeding or relocation programme.
1. The Union Territory of Ladakh accounts for over half of India’s total estimated snow-leopard population.
2. Uttarakhand recorded the second-highest population after Ladakh in the 2025 assessment.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 — Correct: Ladakh hosts about 477 of the 718 snow leopards recorded in India, i.e., over 65% of the total population — the highest regional concentration.
Statement 2 — Incorrect: Uttarakhand’s estimated count (≈71) was lower than Himachal Pradesh (≈51) and also less than the combined total for Arunachal Pradesh + Sikkim (≈61). Thus, it did not rank second after Ladakh.
1. The UN’s regular budget is financed mainly through assessed contributions from its member states.
2. India’s assessed contribution to the UN regular budget for 2024–25 is less than 1% of the total.
3. The United States is the largest contributor, followed by China and Japan.
4. France contributes a larger share than the United Kingdom to the UN regular budget.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: The UN’s regular budget is largely funded through assessed contributions from member states, calculated by the UN General Assembly based on each nation’s economic capacity.
Statement 2 – Correct: India’s share in the 2024–25 biennium is about 0.21%, confirming it contributes less than 1% of the total UN budget.
Statement 3 – Correct: The United States (≈ 22%), China (≈ 15%), and Japan (≈ 8%) remain the top three contributors.
Statement 4 – Incorrect: The United Kingdom contributes slightly more than France; France is not ahead of the UK in assessed contributions.
1. Arabic became an official language of the UN later than English and French.
2. South Sudan is the most recent member state of the United Nations.
3. The UN Headquarters is in New York City, and all six official languages enjoy equal status in its proceedings.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 — Correct: Arabic was recognized as an official language in 1973, after English and French (both 1946).
Statement 2 — Correct: South Sudan (2011) became the UN’s 193rd and newest member.
Statement 3 — Correct: The UN Headquarters is in New York, and its six official languages — Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish — have equal status in deliberations and documentation.
1. The Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI) under the Convention on Migratory Species promotes coordinated protection of transboundary mammal populations.
2. India and Bhutan are among the range states participating in this initiative.
3. Species such as the Snow Leopard and Saiga Antelope are included under CAMI.
4. The Kiang and Urial, found in Ladakh, are among India’s migratory species covered by CAMI.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: CAMI, launched in 2014 under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), aims to ensure transboundary conservation of migratory mammals across steppe, desert, and mountain ecosystems.
Statement 2 – Correct: Both India and Bhutan are part of the 14 range states under CAMI, linking Himalayan and Central Asian migratory corridors.
Statement 3 – Correct: The initiative includes key species such as the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) and Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica), which face threats from poaching and habitat fragmentation.
Statement 4 – Correct: The Kiang (Equus kiang) and Urial (Ovis vignei vignei) — migratory mammals found in Ladakh — are listed among India’s CAMI species, reflecting ecological connectivity with Central Asia.
The Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI) is a regional conservation framework under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). It aims to protect migratory mammals across Central Asia’s vast steppe, desert, and mountain ecosystems — many of which are globally threatened.
Launched: 2014
Occasion: 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to CMS, held in Quito, Ecuador.
Purpose: To tackle key threats such as poaching, illegal wildlife trade, habitat fragmentation, migration barriers, and the impacts of climate change.
CAMI brings together 14 range states across Central and South Asia:
Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
These countries share responsibility for protecting migratory mammals that move across their borders.
CAMI focuses on 17 iconic and ecologically significant species, including:
- Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica)
- Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)
- Asiatic Cheetah
- Persian Leopard
- Bukhara Deer
- Argali Sheep
- Asiatic Wild Ass
- Gobi Bear
- Goitered Gazelle
- Kiang
- Mongolian Gazelle
- Pallas’s Cat
- Przewalski’s Horse
- Urial
- Wild Camel
- Wild Yak
- Eurasian Lynx
- Reverse population decline and ensure the long-term survival of migratory mammals.
- Strengthen transboundary cooperation among range states for shared species.
- Promote coordinated research, monitoring, and conservation planning.
- Involve local communities through awareness drives, livelihood support, and anti-poaching efforts.
Adopted: October 2025, Tashkent (Uzbekistan) during the 3rd CAMI Range States Meeting.
Key Focus Areas:
- Strengthen transboundary conservation landscapes and ecological corridors.
- Foster community-based conservation partnerships.
- Harmonize cross-border policies for wildlife management.
- Integrate scientific approaches with traditional pastoral knowledge.
Partners: Supported by IUCN, WWF, national governments, and the CMS Secretariat.
1. Timor-Leste’s entry marks ASEAN’s first expansion since Cambodia joined.
2. Timor-Leste shares a land border with Indonesia and a maritime boundary with Australia in the Timor Sea.
3. Among ASEAN members, only Indonesia and Timor-Leste are located entirely south of the Equator.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: Cambodia joined ASEAN in 1999. Timor-Leste became the 11th member on October 26, 2025, at the Kuala Lumpur Summit.
Statement 2 – Correct: Timor-Leste shares a land boundary with Indonesia and a maritime boundary with Australia across the Timor Sea (Treaty of 2018).
Statement 3 – Correct: Only Indonesia and Timor-Leste lie entirely south of the Equator. Other ASEAN members are either north of or straddle it.
1. They derive their energy mainly from the latent heat released by condensation of water vapour over warm ocean surfaces.
2. They form outside the tropics, where contrasting air masses interact.
3. In the Northern Hemisphere, they rotate in an anticlockwise direction around a low-pressure centre.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: Tropical cyclones derive energy from latent heat released when warm, moist air condenses over ocean surfaces.
Statement 2 – Incorrect: Tropical cyclones form over warm tropical oceans, where sea surface temperatures are typically 27°C or higher.
Statement 3 – Correct: In the Northern Hemisphere, cyclones rotate anticlockwise due to the Coriolis effect. This rotation is reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, where storms rotate clockwise.
1. Funnel-shaped coastal configuration
2. Relatively higher sea-surface temperatures
3. Complex deltaic and estuarine coastline
How many of the above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: The Bay of Bengal’s funnel-like shape amplifies tidal surges and concentrates wave energy.
Statement 2 – Correct: Warmer sea-surface temperatures intensify cyclones, leading to stronger storm surges.
Statement 3 – Correct: The region’s deltaic and estuarine coasts increase inundation risk due to low elevation and shallow gradients.
1. The naming began in 2004 under the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones.
2. The list of names released by the India Meteorological Department in 2020 includes suggestions from 13 countries.
3. The names of cyclones are repeated in rotation every ten years.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: The WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones agreed to the naming system in 2000, but the actual practice of naming cyclones in the North Indian Ocean officially started in September 2004 with Cyclone Onil.
Statement 2 – Correct: In April 2020, a new list of 169 names was adopted by the WMO/ESCAP panel members. The list included 13 names from each of the 13 member countries in the region, including India, Bangladesh, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Statement 3 – Incorrect: Unlike some other ocean basins where names are recycled on a rotational basis, the names of tropical cyclones over the North Indian Ocean are not repeated. Once a name is used, it is retired and cannot be used again.
1. Tropical cyclones have warm cores, whereas extratropical cyclones have cold cores.
2. Tropical cyclones derive energy from latent heat, while extratropical cyclones derive energy from horizontal temperature contrasts.
3. Both rotate in opposite directions in the same hemisphere.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: Tropical cyclones are warm-core systems; extratropical ones are cold-core.
Statement 2 – Correct: The former gain energy from latent heat, while the latter depend on contrasting air masses.
Statement 3 – Incorrect: Both rotate in the same direction in each hemisphere — anticlockwise in the north, clockwise in the south.
1. The original member countries included Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
2. In 2018, the Panel on Tropical Cyclones added Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen to the list.
3. Cyclones originating in the South China Sea are renamed when they enter the Bay of Bengal.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: These eight nations were the original members of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones.
Statement 2 – Correct: In 2018, five West Asian countries were added, expanding membership to 13 nations.
Statement 3 – Incorrect: Cyclones crossing basins retain their original names and are not renamed upon entering the Bay of Bengal.
A cyclone is a large system of air rotating around a low-pressure centre. It brings strong winds, heavy rainfall, and turbulent weather.
- In the Northern Hemisphere, winds rotate anticlockwise.
- In the Southern Hemisphere, they rotate clockwise.
Cyclones occur over warm oceans and can cause massive destruction when they make landfall.
- Tropical Cyclones: Form over warm ocean waters near the equator. They have a warm core and derive energy from the latent heat released when moist air rises and condenses into clouds.
- Extratropical Cyclones: Develop outside the tropics. They have a cold core and gain strength when cold and warm air masses interact in mid-latitude regions.
- Funnel-like Shape: The Bay’s unique shape concentrates atmospheric disturbances and amplifies storm surges.
- Complex Coastline: Estuaries, deltas, and pocket bays along the coast influence how water and winds move during storms.
- Warm Sea Surface: The Bay of Bengal is usually warmer than the Arabian Sea, providing more energy for cyclone formation.
- Climate Change Effect: Rising sea temperatures have increased cyclone intensity, and the western coast of India is now also witnessing stronger storms.
Storm surges — sudden rises in sea level due to cyclone winds — cause most of the destruction. Their impact depends on:
- The shape of the coastline,
- The presence of barriers such as mangroves, dunes, or embankments, and
- The depth and slope of the sea near the shore.
- In 2000, eight countries — Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand — under the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones decided to name cyclones in rotation.
- The system began officially in 2004.
- In 2018, five new members joined: Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Yemen.
- Each of the 13 countries submits 13 names, making a total list of 169 cyclone names (as per the IMD’s 2020 release).
- Cyclones rotate around low-pressure centres and draw energy from warm ocean waters.
- The Bay of Bengal is India’s most cyclone-prone region.
- Extratropical cyclones occur in higher latitudes with cold air cores.
- The WMO/ESCAP naming system helps improve communication and disaster preparedness.