1.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/why-does-government-wants-supreme-court-to-reconsider-stand-on-scst-creamy-layer/article30233041.ece

D   

2.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1915526

• The Ministry of Textiles announced the launch of 02 Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for 31 items consisting of 19 Geo Textiles and 12 Protective Textiles in the Phase-I.
• QCO was the first technical regulation in the country for technical textile products. 
• In the second phase, the Ministry plans to issue two more QCOs for 28 items that will cover 22 agro textile products and six medical textile items.

Quality Control Orders (QCOs)

• For ensuring the availability of quality products to consumers, Quality Control Orders (QCOs) are issued by various Ministries/Departments of the Government of India in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 16 of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 stipulating conformity of the products to Indian Standards.
• The main aim of the QCO is to control the import of sub-quality and cheaper items and to ensure that customers get quality products.
• QCOs can only be challenged at WTO if they are imposed on grounds of health, safety, environment and deceptive trade practice, or national security.
• BIS certifies it for International and domestic products.

Benefits of QCOs

• To increase the standard and quality of geotextiles and protective Textiles.
• For the protection of the environment, human health, and animal & plant life and health.
• To encourage the growth of this industry in India. 
• To provide best value to the users and end consumers, thereby fostering Indian product quality that is comparable to global standards.

Technical Textiles

• Technical textiles are defined as textile materials and products used primarily for their technical performance and functional properties rather than their aesthetic or decorative characteristics.
• Other terms used for defining technical textiles include industrial textiles, functional textiles, performance textiles,engineering textiles, invisible textiles and hi-tech textiles. Technical textiles are used individually or as a component/part of another product.Technical textiles are used individually to satisfy specific functions such as fire retardant fabric for uniforms of firemen and coated fabric to be used as awnings.

Protective Textile

• Protective Textiles are also known as ProTech, is a kind of technical textile. These textile materials are used to make protective clothing.
• It includes curtains and drapes, upholstered composites used for non-domestic furniture, bullet resistant jackets, and protective clothing for firefighters.  
• It is used to protect human life from hazardous and adverse working conditions.

Geotextiles

They are permeable fabrics which, when used in association with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain. These are typically made from polypropylene or polyester.

Applications:

• They support many civil engineering applications including roads, airfields, railroads, embankments, retaining structures, reservoirs, canals, dams, bank protection, coastal engineering and construction site silt fences or geotube.
• They are also used for sand dune armoring to protect upland coastal property from storm surge, wave action and flooding.
• They are used as matting to stabilize flow in stream channels and swales.
• They can improve soil strength at a lower cost than conventional soil nailing.

D

3.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/with-elderly-population-increasing-demand-for-care-homes-grows-in-kerala-101678689161731.html

D

4.

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/for-judiciary-the-red-lines-are-bright-and-clear-8530609/

B

5.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/sikkimese-people-feel-betrayed-as-article-371f-violation-says-former-cm-chamling/article66716395.ece

• Article 371F: Sikkim finally opted to become a full-fledged 22nd State of the Indian Union with effect from 26 April 1975 vide the Constitution 36th Amendment Act 1975 with special provision laid for the State under article 371(F) of the Constitution of India.

• Article 371C deals with special provisions with respect to Manipur which became a State in 1972.

• Article 371(A) states that no act of Parliament shall apply to the State of Nagaland in respect of the religious or social practices of the Nagas, its customary law, and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law and ownership and transfer of land and its resources. o It shall apply to Nagaland only after the State Assembly passes a resolution to do so.

• Article 371-G which deals with special provisions with respect to Mizoram has similar nature.

D

6.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-law/standing-up-for-national-anthem-what-the-supreme-court-has-ruled-8812737/

7.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/indias-cheetah-reintroduction-plan-ignored-spatial-ecology-scientists-say/article66763040.ece

Kuno Palpur National Park: 

• Location: Kuno National Park lies in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh in Central India near the Vindhyan Hills.
• With an area of 748 sq. km, the park is located within the larger Kuno Wildlife Division.
• Initially established as a wildlife sanctuary, it was only in 2018 that the government changed its status into a national park.
• Named after the Kuno River (One of the main tributaries of the Chambal River) that cuts across it, Kuno is primarily a grassland region.
• Flora and Fauna: The protected area of the forest is home to the jungle cat, Indian leopard, sloth bear, Indian wolf, striped hyena, golden jackal, Bengal fox and dhole, along with more than 120 bird species
• Kuno National Park was selected under ‘Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India’. 

Project Cheetah:

• World's first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project.
• Project Cheetah was approved by the Supreme Court of India in January 2020 as a pilot programme to reintroduce the species to India.
• Close to 50 cheetahs will be introduced into the wild over the next five years.

A

8.

https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/power/indias-private-players-see-big-opportunities-in-nepals-power-sector-with-eye-on-region/99599474

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/substance-and-subtext-the-hindu-editorial-on-india-bhutan-ties/article66706846.ece

B

9.

B

10.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/scientists-unveil-new-and-improved-skinny-donut-black-hole-image/article66736527.ece

Within the event horizon of a black hole space is curved to the point where all paths that light might take to exit the event horizon point back inside the event horizon.  This is the reason why light cannot escape a black hole.  Another way to look at it is that the escape velocity from the event horizon of a black hole is faster than the speed of light.  Since nothing can travel faster than the speed of light, nothing escapes the event horizon of a black hole.

C

11.

o  During El Niño, trade winds weaken. Warm water is pushed back east, toward the west coast of the Americas and as a result cold water is pushed towards Asia.

o  La Niña has the opposite effect of El Niño. During La Niña events, trade winds are even stronger than usual, pushing more warm water toward Asia.

o  It means Little Girl in Spanish. La Niña is also sometimes called El Viejo, anti-El Niño, or simply "a cold event."

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/most-parts-of-india-to-witness-above-normal-temperatures-from-april-june-says-imd/article66687278.ece

C

12.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/private-property-is-a-human-right-says-sc/article30551819.ece

B

13.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/stray-dog-population-control-is-dogged-by-bad-science/article66766318.ece

D

14.

The protection of wildlife was incorporated in the constitution via 42nd amendment by adding Article 48 A which mandates that State shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country. The same amendment also included forests and protection of wild animals in the Concurrent List – Seventh Schedule (Article 256) of the Constitution. Protection of wildlife is also enshrined in Article 51 A (g) of the Constitution that it shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment including forests and Wildlife.

D

15.

Ø Fusion of powers exists when the executive and legislative branches of government are intermingled. It tends to be a feature of parliamentary democracies and can be contrasted with the stricter separation of powers found in more presidential democracies. The term fusion of powers is believed to have been first coined by Walter Bagehot. India & UK have a system in which members of the executive are also members of the legislature.

Ø Ready Alternative Government - Ruling party on losing its majority, the Head of the State can invite the opposition party to form the government without fresh elections. Dr Jennings says, ‘the leader of the opposition is the alternative prime minister’.

Ø Wide Representation - It is possible to provide representation to all sections and regions in the government.

Ø https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/shashi-tharoor-presidential-system-parliament-6522482/

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/why-a-presidential-system-makes-sense-6551935/

A 

16.

Non-tariff barriers

Non-tariff barriers are trade barriers which restricts trade in goods and services by using barriers other than tariffs (tax imposed). Non-tariff barriers include sanctions, quotas, embargoes and licenses.

• Sanctions: such as increased administrative actions or additional customs to limit a country’s trade.
• Quotas: countries agree to specified limits of products or services to be imported.
• Embargoes: banning the trade of specified goods and services.
• Licenses: use of licenses to limit imported goods to specific businesses.

Increasingly sanitary and phytosanitary measures are also being used as non-tariff barriers.

Non-tariff measures

1. These are termed as the policy measures apart from ordinary customs tariffs that hold the potential to affect International trade in goods, quantities traded, or prices.
2. For Example:  Sri Lanka, the South Asian country earned a lot of revenue by exporting seafood. But then, the European Union (EU) instituted an import ban on Sri Lankan seafood because of the country’s systematic failure to regulate IUU fishing. This was a type of NTM.

NTMs are majorly classified into

• Technical measures (Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures, Technical Barriers to Trade etc.)
• Non-technical measures.

They are further classified into

• Hard measures (such as  price & quantity control measures),
• Threat measures (like Anti-dumping duties)
• Other measures such as trade-related finance and investment measures.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/exports-must-clear-non-tariff-hurdles/article67249086.ece

https://www.livemint.com/economy/what-are-non-tariff-barriers-to-trade-and-why-do-they-hinder-indian-exports-11692109114851.html

D

17.

https://indianexpress.com/article/world/g7-climate-and-environment-ministers-meet-decarbonise-power-grids-8560883/

C

18.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ninth-schedule-of-the-constitution-explained-6265890/

C   

19.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/strengthening-old-friendships-by-bridging-the-language-divide/article66716808.ece

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has envisaged a special project called The Language Friendship Bridge. India is planning to create a pool of experts in languages spoken in countries like Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan and Indonesia to facilitate better people-to-people exchanges.

B

20.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/plant-cries-recalling-jagadish-chandra-bose-8563756/

B

21.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/due-process-clause-or-basic-structure-doctrine/article67054681.ece#:~:text=The%20due%20process%20clause%20is%20deeply%20rooted%20in%20the%20natural,are%20contrary%20to%20natural%20law.

C

22.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/explained-what-are-rbi-regulations-on-green-deposits/article66866265.ece

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/money-and-banking/rbi-unveils-framework-for-acceptance-of-green-deposits/article66725585.ece

https://bfsi.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/policy/explainer-i-how-will-rbis-new-green-deposits-framework-that-kicks-in-on-june-1-work/100400209#:~:text=The%20RBI%20framework%2C%20effective%20from,enhancing%20natural%20ecosystems%20and%20biodiversity.

D  

23.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/why-india-should-cut-down-on-its-salt-intake/article66695361.ece

C

24.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/talking-therapy-asha-workers-offer-hope-in-rural-madhya-pradesh/article66786995.ece

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-who-asha-workers-women-healthcare-volunteers-who-7932479/

C  

25.

https://www.thehindu.com/data/data-the-distribution-and-utilisation-of-water-bodies-in-india/article66785677.ece

Water Bodies

● First Census Report considers “all natural or man-made units bounded on all sides with some or no masonry work used for storing water for irrigation or other purposes (e.g. industrial, pisciculture, domestic/ drinking, recreation, religious, ground water recharge etc.)” as water bodies.

○ According to the census, the water bodies “are usually of various types known by different names like tank, reservoirs, ponds etc.”.

○ A structure where water from ice-melt, streams, springs, rain or drainage of water from residential or other areas is accumulated or water is stored by diversion from a stream, nala or river will also be treated as water body.  

Excluded Water Bodies

● Seven specific types of water bodies were excluded from the count. They were: ○ Oceans and lagoons;

○ Rivers, streams, springs, waterfalls, canals, etc. which are free flowing, without any bounded storage of water;

○ Swimming pools;

○ Covered water tanks created for a specific purpose by a family or household for their own consumption;

○ A water tank constructed by a factory owner for consumption of water as raw material or consumable;

○ Temporary water bodies created by digging for mining, brick kilns, and construction activities, which may get filled during the rainy season; and

○ Pucca open water tanks created only for cattle to drink water.

A