1.

105^th Amendment to Constitution is related to

(a) Reservation in private educational institutions

(b) States’ right to maintain their own OBC lists

(c) Reservation in local bodies

(d) States’ right to decline EWS Quota

2.

1. Lord Mahavir was born Prince of the Ikshvaku Dynasty.

2. Parasparopagraho Jivanam is the motto of Jainism.

3. Ṇamokara mantra is the first prayer recited by the Jains while meditating.

4. Mahavira''s teachings were compiled by Indrabhuti Gautama.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct w.r.t. Jainism?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

3.

Consider the following pairs with reference to the Ramsar sites and their locations:

How many of the pair(s) given above is/are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) All three pairs

(d) None of the pair is correctly matched

  4.

In which of the following cases, the Supreme Court held that the doctrine of basic structure would apply to constitutional amendments after April 24, 1973?

(a) Minerva Mill Case

(b) Waman Rao Case 

(c) S.R. Bommai Case 

(d) Keshavanand Bharati case

  5.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. Application Supported by Blocked Amount system (ASBA):

1. It is developed by RBI.

2. Subscribing to issues via ASBA is a mandatory option since 2016.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

  6.

Consider the following statements regarding the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM):

1. It is a duty on imports based on the amount of carbon emissions resulting from the production of the product.

2. It was proposed by UNEP.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

  7.

Judicial Review in the Indian Constitution is based on

(a) Procedure established by law

(b) Due process of Law

(c) Rule of Law

(d) Precedents and Conventions

  8.

Logistic Performance Index (LPI) is released by

(a) World Bank

(b) World Trade Organisation

(c) World Economic Forum

(d) United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

  9.

1. The McMahon Line passes through two Indian states.

2. It extends for about 550 miles from Bhutan in the west to the border of Myanmar in the east.

Which of the above statements is/are correct w.r.t. McMohan Line?.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

 10.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. India’s Generic medicines:

1. Free drug initiative is implemented under National Health Mission.

2. A generic drug can only be marketed after the brand name drug''s patent has expired.

3. Data Exclusivity does not affect generic availability.

Which of the above is/are correct? (a) 2 and 3 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

 11.

1. For every point on Earth between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, there are two Zero Shadow Days a year.

2. Sun, in its highest point of the day, will move from 23.5 degrees south of the celestial equator to 23.5 degrees north of the equator, and back again, in a year.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

12.

Sarla Mudgal judgment (1995) and in the Paulo Coutinho vs Maria Luiza Valentina Pereira case (2019) are connected with

(a) Uniform Civil Code

(b) Sabarimala temple entry

(c) Political funding

(d) LGBT Rights

13.

1. WAIS Divide is an ice core.

2. They contain Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotopes.

3. Layers in ice cores correspond to years and seasons, with the oldest ice at the top and the youngest ice at the bottom of the core. 

How many of the statements given above is/are correct w.r.t. “Ice Cores”?

(a) Only 1 statement is true.

(b) Only 2 statements are true.

(c) All the three statements are true.

(d) None of the statement is true.

 14.

The 31^st member of NATO is

(a) Finalnd

(b) Sweden

(c) Georgia

(d) Ukraine

 15.

1.   For making Constitutional amendment to the Directive Principles of State Policies, special majority of both the houses of the Parliament is required.

2.  Four Directive Principles were added by 42^nd amendment.

3. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) get their authority from Article 39(a).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?.

(a) Only one statement is true.

(b) Only two statements are true.

(c) All the statements are true.

(d) All the statements are false.

 16.

The PM SVANidhi scheme is targeted for

(a) Women in STEM research.

(b) Upskilling of Gig workers.

(c) Street vendors who have been affected due to the Covid-19 crisis.

(d) Social security scheme for the destitute widows.

 17.

Where is “Rajamalai National Park”?.

(a) Tamilnadu

(b) Kerala

(c) Karnataka

(d) Andhra Pradesh

 18.

The secession of a state from the Indian Union has been barred by the

(a)Constitution (Sixteenth Amendment) Act, 1963

(b)Constitution(Twenty-Second Amendment) Act, 1969

(c) Constitution (Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Act,1972

(d) Constitution (Thirty-Fifth Amendment) Act, 1974

 19.

“Kirit Parikh panel” is related to

(a) Urea subsidy

(b) PLI Scheme for Semiconductor

(c) Conserving western Ghats

(d) Pricing for gas

 20.

Which of the following is a major contributor to India''s import basket?

(a) Electronics

(b) Textile

(c) Energy-related products

(d) Gold

 21.

The sequence in which the given terms are mentioned in the preamble to the Constitution of India is

(a) Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic

(b) Socialist, Secular, Sovereign, Democratic, Republic

(c) Secular, Sovereign, Democratic, Socialist, Republic

(d) Sovereign, Democratic, Secular, Socialist, Republic

 22.

The European Parliament, the legislative body of the 27-country block European Union, has approved the world’s first set of comprehensive rules to bring largely unregulated cryptocurrency markets under the ambit of regulation by government authorities. The regulation called the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA), will come into force after formal approval by member states. MiCA regulation will be applicable to

1. Stablecoins

2.  Non-Fungible tokens

3. Digital assets that would qualify as transferable securities.

Select the incorrect statement(s):

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

 23.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. OPEC:

1. It has 13 member countries.

2. It has two member countries from South America.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

 24.

Consider the following statements:

1. Out of the five species of Rhino, only the Great One-Horned Rhino is found in India.

2. The Great One-Horned Rhino is listed as Critically Endangered in IUCN Red List.

3. The five rhino range nations include India, Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Afghanistan.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) Only 1 statement is true.

(b) Only 2 statements are true.

(c) All the three statements are true.

(d) None of the statement is true.

 25.

Namsai Declaration seen in news was signed between

(a) Assam and Manipur

(b) Kerala and Karnataka

(c) Maharashtra and Gujarat

(d) Assam and Arunachal Pradesh

1.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/how-was-the-backward-classes-policy-restored/article61424443.ece

B

2.

Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara of the Jain tradition. He married Yasoda and gave birth to a daughter. At the age of thirty he became an ascetic and wandered for twelve years. In the 13th year of his penance, he attained the highest spiritual knowledge called Kevala Gnana. After attaining Kevala Jnana, Mahavira taught that observance of the vows of ahimsa (nonviolence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity), and aparigraha (nonattachment) is necessary for spiritual liberation. He taught the principles of Anekantavada (many-sided reality): syadvada and nayavada. Mahavira''s teachings were compiled by Indrabhuti Gautama (his chief disciple) as the Jain Agamas.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/festivals/mahavir-jayanti-2023-date-history-significance-celebration-of-jain-festival-101680418900207.html

D

3.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands defines wetlands as “areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters”.

The Ramsar Convention, which came into existence in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

The five new wetlands added to the list are the Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest, Pichavaram Mangrove, Sakhya Sagar, and Pala Wetland.

A

4.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/supreme-court-s-basic-structure-verdict-set-bad-precedent-dhankhar-101673463120398.html

Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973):  

• Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, also known as the Kesavananda Bharati judgement, was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court that outlined the basic structure doctrine of the Indian Constitution.
• The case is also known as the Fundamental Rights Case.
• A 13-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court, with a 7-6 majority, upheld the validity of the 24^th Constitutional Amendment Act (1971) and stated that Parliament is empowered to abridge or take away any of the Fundamental Rights.
• As per 24^th  Amendment Act Constitutional Amendments were not considered laws under Article 13.
• This amendment gave unlimited power to the Parliament to amend or repeal any part of the Constitution of India.
• However, the Court laid down a new doctrine of the ‘basic structure’ (or ‘basic features’) of the Constitution.

Basic Structure Doctrine

• In the Kesavananda Bharati case, the Court ruled that the constituent power of Parliament under Article 368 does not enable it to alter the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution.
• This means that the Parliament cannot abridge or take away a Fundamental Right that forms a part of the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution.
• It gives extra power to court to review and strike down any constitutional amendments and act enacted by the Parliament.

Evolution of the Basic Structure Doctrine:

• The Parliament reacted to this judicially innovated doctrine of ‘basic structure’ by enacting the 42nd Amendment Act (1976).
• This Act amended Article 368 and declared that there is no limitation on the constituent power of Parliament and no amendment can be questioned in any court on any ground including that of the contravention of any of the Fundamental Rights.
• However, the Supreme Court in the Minerva Mills case (1980) invalidated this provision as it excluded judicial review which is a ‘basic feature’ of the Constitution.
• Again, in the Waman Rao case (1981), the Supreme Court adhered to the doctrine of the ‘basic structure’ and further clarified that it would apply to constitutional amendments enacted after April 24, 1973.
• It is the date of the judgement in the Kesavananda Bharati case.

Components

• The Supreme Court is yet to define or clarify as to what constitutes the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution.
• At present, from the various judgements, the following have emerged as some of the ‘basic features’ of the Constitution or elements of the ‘basic structure’ of the constitution –
• Supremacy of the Constitution
• Sovereign, democratic and republican nature of the Indian polity
• Separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary
• Judicial review
• Parliamentary system
• Rule of law
• Principle of equality
• Free and fair elections
• Independence of Judiciary
• Limited power of Parliament to amend the Constitution

Benefits/Significance of the Basic Structure Doctrine:

• Granville Austin, an American historian of the Indian Constitution, argues that with Basic Structure Doctrine, a balance has been reached between the responsibilities of Parliament and Supreme Court for protecting the seamless web of Indian Constitution.
• Upendra Baxi, a legal scholar, argues that the doctrine facilitates for constitutional change paving way for fundamental, social change through peaceful democratic means.

Criticism of the Basic Structure Doctrine:

• Plurality of opinions yielded in the Kesavananda judgement gave no clarity and so it is an uncertain authority to limit the amending powers of the Parliament.
• There is a lack of clarity about the nature and the character of the basic features of the Constitution.
• According to Raju Ramachandran, former Additional Solicitor General of India, the Basic Structure Doctrine is anti-democratic because ultimately court’s own view of its area of competence and effectiveness becomes the only check on the exercise of its own judicial power.
• Ultimately the unelected judges have assumed the political power not given to them in the Constitution.

Conclusion:

• One certainty that emerged out of this tussle between Parliament and the Judiciary is that all legislations and constitutional amendments are now subject to judicial review, and laws that violate the fundamental framework are likely to be overturned by the Supreme Court.
• In essence, Parliament’s ability to alter the Constitution is limited, and all constitutional amendments are ultimately decided upon, scrutinised and interpreted by the Supreme Court.

 B

5.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-economics/how-asba-like-facility-for-secondary-market-trading-benefits-customers-8543191/

Application Supported by Blocked Amount (ASBA)

• This process is developed by SEBI to apply for IPOs, Rights and Debts Issues, FPS and more.
• It entails that the amount to be paid for subscribing to the shares does not get debited from the investor’s account until the shares have been allotted by the company.
• Investors can apply for ASBA and have the bank block out the application money until the shares get allotted to the investor.
• This system will provide the authorization of the investor to subscribe only when the application is selected for the issue.
• This blocking is carried out by Self-Certified Syndicate Banks (SCSB).
• Upon the approval of the issue to the investor, the funds are paid accordingly.
• Self-Certified Syndicate Banks (SCSBs): These are SEBI-authorized banks that conform to the conditions laid by SEBI to accept the applications, verify and block the amount to the extent of what the application requires, upload the details to the web and stay updated with the process until the shares are allotted.
• If the issue gets withdrawn, or the investor has not been allotted the shares, then SCSBs refund the money back to the investor’s account.
• Subscribing to issues via ASBA is a mandatory option since 2016.
• If the money has been blocked in an interest-bearing ASBA account then the amount will continue to earn interest during the time it takes to get the allotment of the share. The investor needs to be an Indian resident to avail of ASBA.
• Significance: The reason for this process to come into effect was to eliminate the inconvenience of finding refunds or having shares not be allotted.

B 

6.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/explained-what-is-the-eus-carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism/article66886488.ece

A

7.

• In the famous ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla case (Habeaus Corpus case), 1976 SC followed the procedure established law.
• In Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India,1978 Supreme Court gave its judgement following the due process of law concept.

A

8.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-climbs-6-places-on-world-banks-logistic-performance-index/article66769733.ece

A

9.

The McMahon Line passes through only one Indian state, which is Arunachal Pradesh.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/mcmahon-line-us-senate-8499398/

B

10.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-health/why-doctors-are-protesting-rule-to-prescribe-generic-drugs-8892886/

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/specials/pulse/when-trade-negotiations-threaten-affordable-healthcare/article66784775.ece

B

11.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/bengaluru-zero-shadow-day-what-is-it-why-does-it-happen-8575725/

C

12.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/columns/from-the-viewsroom/consensus-is-key-for-uniform-civil-code/article66983513.ece

A

13.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/scientists-save-ancient-arctic-ice-in-race-to-preserve-climate-history/article66766323.ece

B 

14.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/explained-on-finlands-journey-to-join-nato/article66722064.ece

A

15.

Four Directive Principles were added by 42nd amendment as follows:

·      To secure opportunities for healthy development of children (Article 39)

·      To promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid to the poor (Article 39 A)

·      To take steps to secure the participation of workers in the management of industries (Article 43 A)

·      To protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests and wild life (Article 48 A).

https://blog.ipleaders.in/directive-principles-of-state-policy-dpsp-under-the-indian-constitution/

C 

16.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/internal-target-for-svanidhi-scheme-is-50l-vendors-puri-8875559/

C

17.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/in-a-first-munnar-gets-fernarium-inside-the-enp/article66691983.ece

§  Eravikulam National Park situated along the summit of the Western Ghats in the high ranges of Idukki district of Kerala.

§  This is also the land of "Neelakurinji", a flower that blooms once in twelve years. The highest peak south of the Himalayas – the Anamudi is located here.

§  The park is also known as Rajamalai National Park. It was declared as a sanctuary with an objective of protecting the indigenous population of Nilgiri Tahr (most endangered mountain goat) when founded in the year 1975 and was then upgraded as the national park in 1978.

18.

A

19.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/commodities/govt-approves-kirit-parikh-panel-recommendations-on-natural-gas-pricing/article66707578.ece

D

20.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/energy-imports-must-be-slashed/article66680733.ece#:~:text=Energy%20imports%20include%20coal%2C%20coke,the%20total%20merchandise%20import%20bill.

C

21.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-politics/india-constitution-sovereignty-modi-sonia-karnataka-explained-8598418/

A

22.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/explained-what-is-the-eus-new-crypto-legislation/article66771289.ece

• The European Parliament recently approved the cryptocurrency regulation “Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA)”.

New rules

• MiCA will impose compliance on the issuers of crypto assets, who are defined as the “legal person who offers to the public any type of crypto-assets”. 
• It will apply to crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) providing one or more of these services.
• The operation of a trading platform like CoinBase, custody, and administration of crypto assets on behalf of third parties (customers), 
• The exchange of crypto assets for funds/other crypto-assets, 
• The execution of orders for crypto assets, 
• The placing of crypto assets, providing transfer services for crypto assets to third parties, providing advice on cryptoassets and crypto-portfolio management.
• Authorisation & CASPs:
• The base regime will require every CASP to get incorporated as a legal entity in the EU. 
• They can get authorised in any one member country and will be allowed to conduct their services across the 27 countries. 
• Supervision of CASPs:
• They will then be supervised by regulators like the European Banking Authority and the European Securities and Markets Authority, who will ensure that the companies have the required risk management and corporate governance practices in place. 
• Responsibility of CASPs:
• CASPs will have to demonstrate their stability and soundness, ability to keep the funds users safe, implementation of controls to ensure they are not engaging in proprietary trading; avoidance of conflicts of interest, and their ability to defend against market abuse and manipulation.

MiCA regulations

• Cryptoassets:
• The MiCA legislation will apply to ‘cryptoassets’, which are broadly defined in the text as follows:
• “A digital representation of a value or a right that uses cryptography for security and is in the form of a coin or a token or any other digital medium which may be transferred and stored electronically, using distributed ledger technology or similar technology”. 
• This definition implies that it will apply not only to traditional cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum but also to newer ones like stablecoins.
• Stablecoins:
• Stablecoins are digital tokens that aim to stay pegged in value with a more stable asset - a fiat currency like the U.S. dollar or other stable cryptocurrencies. 
• MiCA will establish new rules for three types of stablecoins — asset-referenced tokens, which are linked to multiple currencies, commodities, or cryptocurrencies, e-money Tokens, which are linked to a single currency and utility tokens, which are intended to provide access to a good or service that will be supplied by the issuer of that token.

Exemptions

• Transferable securities:
• As for the assets that will be out of MiCA’s scope, it will not regulate digital assets that would qualify as transferable securities and function like shares or their equivalent and other crypto assets that already qualify as financial instruments under existing regulation. 
• Non Fungible tokens (NFTs):
• It will also, for the most part, exclude non fungible tokens (NFTs). 
• Central bank digital currencies & digital assets:
• MiCA will also not regulate central bank digital currencies issued by the European Central Bank and digital assets issued by national central banks of EU member countries when acting in their capacity as monetary authorities, along with cryptoassets-related services offered by them.

Significance of MiCA

• Harmonising crypto industry:
• According to Chainalysis, about 22% of the global crypto industry was concentrated in central, northern, and western Europe, which received $1.3 trillion worth of crypto assets. 
• Having a comprehensive framework like MiCA for 27 countries in Europe not only harmonises the crypto industry but also gives the EU a competitive edge in its growth compared to the U.S. or the U.K. which lack regulatory clarity. 
• Protection against deception and fraud:
• 2022 saw some of the biggest failures and wipeouts in the crypto industry involving bankruptcies and fraud scandals, be it the collapse of the crypto exchange FTX and its spat with Binance or the failure of Terra LUNA cryptocurrency and its associated stablecoin. 
• The liquidity shortage caused by these shocks led other crypto-lending platforms to halt customer transfers and withdrawals before filing for bankruptcy.
• As investments and the size of the crypto industry grow, European and other regulators have felt the need to bring governance practices in crypto firms to ensure stability and financial sector-like rout and contagion. 

Criticisms

• Some experts feel that the regulation is already laggard in covering newer vulnerabilities in the crypto industry. 
• For instance, it does not cover practices like crypto staking and lending, which led to some of the industry’s biggest failures last year. 
• A Bloomberg analysis notes that MiCA also does not cover NFTs or decentralised finance, which is prone to hacks and fraud because it’s managed by code rather than humans.

Indian Government’s stand on Cryptocurrency & way ahead

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has long recommended a complete ban on all crypto, warning that it has the potential to destabilize the country’s monetary and fiscal stability.
• Despite having no regulatory framework for crypto, the Indian government had introduced a new tax regime last year, taxing crypto income at 30% and a 1% tax deducted at source (TDS) on crypto transactions.
• The government has recently placed all transactions involving virtual digital assets under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
• India is now calling for consensus in the G20 grouping, where it currently holds the presidency, to have a globally coordinated policy response on crypto assets that takes into consideration the full range of risks, including those specific to emerging markets and developing economies.

A

23.

OPEC has 13 member countries (Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela): five in the Middle East (Western Asia), seven in Africa, and one in South America.

A 

24.

The five rhino range nations include India, Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia.

 According to a recent study, published in the latest edition of People and Nature by the British Ecological Society, which used an interesting research approach—analysing artwork and photographs of the animal spanning more than five centuries.

·      It relied on a repository of images maintained by the Netherlands-based Rhino Research Centre (RRC).

Major Findings:

·      Found evidence for declining horn length over time across species, perhaps related to selective pressure of hunting, and indicating a utility for image-based approaches in understanding societal perceptions of large vertebrates and trait evolution

·      The horns of rhinoceroses may have become smaller over time due to the impact of hunting.

·      The study found that the rate of decline in horn length was highest in the critically-endangered Sumatran rhino and lowest in the white rhino of Africa, which is the most commonly found species both in the wild and in captivity.

·      This observation follows patterns seen in other animals, such as tusk size in elephants and horn length in wild sheep, which have been driven down by directional selection due to trophy hunting.

·      During the age of European imperialism (between the 16th and 20th centuries), rhinos were commonly portrayed as hunting trophies, but since the mid-20th century, they have been increasingly portrayed in a conservation context, reflecting a change in emphasis from a more to less consumptive relationship between humans and rhinos.

·      The Indian rhino featured more in early artwork, but the number of images of other species, particularly white rhinos, has increased since the mid-19th century.

Rhinos:

·      Rhinos have long been hunted for their horns, which are highly valued in some cultures.

·      The five surviving rhino species (Black and White African rhino, Asian rhino species – greater one horned, Sumatran and Javan rhinos) are still threatened by habitat loss and hunting.

·      IUCN Status:

·      Greater one horned Rhino: Vulnerable

·      Sumatran Rhino: Critically Endangered

·      Javan Rhino: Vulnerable

·      Black African Rhino: Critically Endangered

·      White African Rhino: Near Threatened

Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros:

·      Also known as Indian rhino, it is the largest of the rhino species.

·      India is home to the largest number of Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros in the world.

·      At present, there are about 2,600 Indian rhinos in India, with more than 90% of the population concentrated in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park.

Habitat:

·      The species is restricted to small habitats in Indo-Nepal terai and northern West Bengal and Assam.

·      In India, rhinos are mainly found in

·      Kaziranga NP, Pobitora WLS, Orang NP, Manas NP in Assam,

·      Jaldapara NP and Gorumara NP in West Bengal

·      Dudhwa TR in Uttar Pradesh.

Threats:

·      Poaching for the horns

·      Habitat loss

·      Population density

·      Decreasing Genetic diversity

Protection Status:

·  IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.

·  CITES: Appendix-I

·  Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.

Conservation Efforts by India

·  The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF)  has launched a National Conservation Strategy for Indian One-Horned Rhino and the conservation initiatives for rhino has also enriched the grassland management which helps in reducing the negative impacts of climate change through carbon sequestration.

·  New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019: Signed by India, Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia to conserve and protect the rhinos.

·  Project to create DNA profiles of all rhinos by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

·  Indian Rhino Vision 2020: It is a unique programme where the government partnered international, national and local organisations for the conservation of the rhinos. Under it, Manas has received a total of 22 rhinos from other protectedareas.

·  The Indian and Nepalese governments have taken major steps toward Indian Rhinoceros conservation with the help of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). 

A

25.

https://theprint.in/opinion/namsai-declaration-how-modi-govt-is-resolving-border-disputes-in-ne-one-state-after-another/1549904/

https://www.outlookindia.com/national/boundary-issues-what-are-the-border-disputes-in-northeast-india-why-are-they-so-comple-news-289528

• Assam and Meghalaya dispute:
• Both states share an 885-km-long border. As of now, there are 12 points of dispute along their borders.
• Meghalaya was carved out of Assam under the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, a law that it challenged, leading to disputes.
• A major point of contention between Assam and Meghalaya is the district of Langpih in West Garo Hills bordering the Kamrup district of Assam.
• Langpih was part of the Kamrup district during the British colonial period but post-Independence, it became part of the Garo Hills and Meghalaya.
• Assam considers it to be part of the Mikir Hills in Assam
• Arunachal Pradesh-Assam dispute
• Arunachal''s grievance is that the re-organisation of North Eastern states unilaterally transferred several forested tracts in the plains that had traditionally belonged to hill tribal chiefs and communities to Assam.
• After Arunachal Pradesh achieved statehood in 1987, a tripartite committee was appointed which recommended that certain territories be transferred from Assam to Arunachal.
• Assam contested this and the matter is before the Supreme Court.
• Assam-Nagaland dispute
• This dispute is over Naga Hills and all Naga-dominated area in North Cachar and Nagaon districts, which were part of Naga territory under 1866 notification from British.
• Assam-Mizoram dispute
• This dispute is over boundaries in southern Assam''s Barak Valley and the Lushai Hills, based on two British-era notifications of 1875 and 1933 with Mizoram demand on boundary as decided in 1875.
• Himachal Pradesh-Ladakh
• Himachal and Ladakh lay claim to Sarchu, an area on the route between Leh and Manali.
• Haryana-Himachal Pradesh
• The Parwanoo region has had the spotlight over the border dispute between the two states.
• It is next to the Panchkula district of Haryana and the state has claimed parts of the land in Himachal Pradesh as its own.
• Karnataka-Maharashtra
• The Belgaum district is arguably part of one of the biggest inter-state border disputes in India.
• The district has a large Marathi and Kannada-speaking populations.
• The area came under Karnataka in 1956 when states were reorganised and till then it was under the Bombay presidency.
• Other border disputes which are at dormant stage now:
• Haryana-Punjab over Chandigarh
• Karnataka-Kerala over Kasaragod, part of Kerala with many Kannada- speaking people
• Odisha-West Bengal over Kanika Sands Island in the Bay of Bengal
• Gujarat-Rajasthan over Mangadh Hill