1. A District Council may have up to 30 members, of which at most 4 can be nominated.
2. The term of elected members is 5 years; the term of nominated members is at the pleasure of the Governor.
3. The Governor is empowered to divide an autonomous district into multiple autonomous regions.
4. The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) is allowed more than 30 members by a specific proviso.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Statement 1 – Correct: Para 2(1) of the Sixth Schedule provides that a District Council shall consist of not more than 30 members, of whom not more than 4 may be nominated.
Statement 2 – Correct: Para 2(6) grants elected members a 5-year term, while Para 2(6A) stipulates that nominated members hold office at the pleasure of the Governor.
Statement 3 – Incorrect as stated: Under Para 1(2), the Governor may divide an autonomous district into autonomous regions only if different Scheduled Tribes inhabit the district. The statement omits this condition and is thus over-broad.
Statement 4 – Correct: A special proviso in the Sixth Schedule allows the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) to have more than 30 members — specifically up to 46.
1. It is the first high-altitude biosphere reserve from India included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
2. The reserve includes Pin Valley National Park and Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary within its core zone.
3. It lies in the rain-shadow zone of the Pir Panjal range and extends up to the Baralacha Pass.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in Himachal Pradesh became the first high-altitude cold desert site from India to join UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) in 2025.
Statement 2 – Correct: The core zone of the reserve includes Pin Valley National Park and Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, both critical habitats for the snow leopard and Himalayan ibex.
Statement 3 – Incorrect: The Cold Desert lies in the rain-shadow of the Great Himalayas, not the Pir Panjal range. Although it does extend up to Baralacha Pass (~4,890 m), the first part of the statement makes it incorrect.
1. It functions under the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO.
2. Membership in the network is legally binding once a biosphere reserve is designated.
3. The WNBR aims to promote international cooperation and exchange of best practices among biosphere reserves.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: The World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) functions under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, which promotes a science-based approach to sustainable development.
Statement 2 – Incorrect: Designation under the WNBR is voluntary and non-binding. It represents a cooperative and participatory framework, not a legal obligation.
Statement 3 – Correct: The WNBR seeks to foster North–South and South–South collaboration by encouraging the exchange of best practices, scientific knowledge, and capacity-building among biosphere reserves worldwide.
| Biosphere Reserve | Distinct Feature |
|---|---|
| 1. Cold Desert (Himachal Pradesh) | India’s first high-altitude desert biosphere reserve included in WNBR |
| 2. Agasthyamala (Kerala–Tamil Nadu) | Part of the Nilgiri UNESCO Biosphere Reserve |
| 3. Panna (Madhya Pradesh) | Included in UNESCO WNBR for successful tiger reintroduction |
| 4. Gulf of Mannar (Tamil Nadu) | India’s first marine biosphere reserve |
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
1 – Correct: Cold Desert (Himachal Pradesh) became India’s first high-altitude cold desert biosphere reserve to be included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) in 2025.
2 – Incorrect: Agasthyamala (Kerala–Tamil Nadu) is not part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It is a separate and distinct biosphere reserve located in the Western Ghats and spans Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve was India’s first to be included in the WNBR.
3 – Correct: Panna (Madhya Pradesh) was added to the WNBR in 2020, recognized for its successful community-driven tiger reintroduction programme.
4 – Correct: Gulf of Mannar (Tamil Nadu), designated in 1989, is India’s first marine biosphere reserve, known for its coral reefs and seagrass ecosystems.
1. It provides a framework for integrating environmental information with national economic accounts.
2. India has adopted the SEEA framework and publishes EnviStats reports based on it.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The SEEA is a global statistical framework developed under the auspices of the United Nations, European Commission, FAO, OECD, IMF, and World Bank to integrate environmental and economic data for measuring sustainability and natural capital.
India formally adopted SEEA in 2018, and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) publishes the EnviStats India series following the SEEA Central Framework and SEEA Ecosystem Accounting guidelines.
1. The Kokrajhar–Gelephu railway line will be about 69 km long.
2. The Banarhat–Samtse railway line will be about 20 km long.
3. The total project cost announced by India is about ₹10,000 crore.
4. These projects are being implemented under the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement framework.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: The Kokrajhar–Gelephu railway line is approximately 69 km long and connects Assam with Bhutan’s Sarpang (Gelephu) region.
Statement 2 – Correct: The Banarhat–Samtse railway line, linking West Bengal to Bhutan’s Samtse district, covers a distance of about 20 km.
Statement 3 – Incorrect: The total estimated cost for the two railway lines is around ₹4,033 crore. The ₹10,000 crore allocation announced by India pertains to Bhutan’s 13th Five-Year Plan (2024–2029) as a broader development assistance package, not solely for railway projects.
Statement 4 – Incorrect: These projects are being implemented under a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bhutan. The BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement concerns road connectivity and has not yet been ratified by Bhutan.
1. Maitree Express
2. Bandhan Express
3. Mitali Express
4. Sampriti Express
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Maitree Express (Kolkata–Dhaka), Bandhan Express (Kolkata–Khulna), and Mitali Express (New Jalpaiguri–Dhaka) are operational cross-border passenger train services between India and Bangladesh.
Sampriti Express does not exist. The name “Sampriti” refers to a bilateral military exercise conducted jointly by India and Bangladesh, not a train service.
Hence, only the first three trains are operational.
1. The Kokrajhar–Gelephu link is part of the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway project.
2. Gelephu is being developed as a “Mindfulness City” with a distinct administrative structure.
3. Bhutan currently has no operational railway lines within its territory.
4. The Banarhat–Samtse line is primarily meant to support Bhutan’s mineral-based industries.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Kokrajhar–Gelephu railway line is a bilateral India–Bhutan project and is not connected to the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway initiative.
Statement 2 – Correct: Gelephu is being developed as a “Mindfulness City”, envisioned as a new administrative and economic model in Bhutan focused on sustainable development and well-being.
Statement 3 – Correct: Bhutan currently has no operational railway network; the proposed lines will be the country’s first railway connectivity projects.
Statement 4 – Correct: The Banarhat–Samtse route will support Bhutan’s industrial zone by facilitating exports of minerals such as dolomite and ferrosilicon to India.
1. Gokul Jalashay in Bihar is an oxbow lake located on the southern edge of the Ganga and acts as a flood buffer for nearby villages.
2. Udaipur Jheel in Bihar hosts over 280 plant species, including the endemic herb Alysicarpus roxburghianus.
3. After the recent additions, India’s tally of Ramsar sites stands at 91, and India ranks first in the world in number of Ramsar sites.
4. Bihar now has five Ramsar sites following the addition of Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: Gokul Jalashay is an oxbow lake located on the southern edge of the Ganga in Buxar, Bihar, serving as a natural flood buffer for nearby settlements.
Statement 2 – Correct: Udaipur Jheel in West Champaran district supports more than 280 plant species, including the endemic herb Alysicarpus roxburghianus, and is an oxbow wetland situated around a village area.
Statement 3 – Incorrect: Following the inclusion of Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel, India’s total Ramsar sites number 93 (not 91). India ranks first in Asia but third globally, behind the United Kingdom and Mexico, in the number of Ramsar sites.
Statement 4 – Correct: Bihar now has five Ramsar sites — Gokul Jalashay, Udaipur Jheel, Kabar Taal, Nagi Bird Sanctuary, and Nakti Bird Sanctuary — after the latest designations in 2025.
1. South-South and Triangular Cooperation complements, rather than replaces, North-South cooperation.
2. The 1978 Buenos Aires Plan of Action is the basis of South-South Cooperation, commemorated by the UN on 12 September.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: The United Nations recognises South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, traditional North-South cooperation. It aims to enhance solidarity among developing nations while maintaining cooperation with developed partners.
Statement 2 – Correct: The Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA), adopted in 1978, laid the foundation for institutionalised South-South Cooperation. The UN observes 12 September every year as the International Day for South-South Cooperation to commemorate this milestone.