1.

Which of the following statements regarding ‘Atal Tunnel’ is / are correct?

1. Its length is 9.02 km.

2. It connects Manali and Lahaul Spiti Valley.

3. It is located across Pir-Panjal Range of Himalayas.

4. It is in in Rohtang Pass.

(a) Only 1 and 2

(b) Only 2 and 3

(c) Only 1, 2 and 4

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

2.

1. The standard time of Bangladesh is half an hour ahead of India.

2. The tropic of cancer is the only latitude that pass-through India.

3. Gandhinagar in Gujarat is the nearest city to the tropic of cancer.

How many of the above statements ia/are correct?.

(a) Only two

(b) Only one

(c) All the three

(d) None of these

·     

3.

From North towards South, which one of the following is the correct sequence of the given rivers in India?.

(a) Shyok-Spiti-Zaskar- Sutlej

(b) Shyok-Zaskar-Spiti-Sutlej

(c) Zaskar-Shyok-Sutlej- Spiti

(d) Zaskar-Sutlej-Shyok-Spiti

D

4.

Mitochondrial coxiella effector that was in news recently refer to

(a) Virus

(b) Bacteria

(c) Protein

(d) Fatty Acid

A

5.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. Kolam tribes.

1. They are listed as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.

2. For writing, they use the Devanagari script.

3. They are genetically prone to thalassemia.

Which of these is / are true?.

(a) Only 1 & 2

(b) Only 2 & 3

(c) Only 3

(d) All are true

C

6.

If the Sun rises at TIRAP in Arunachal Pradesh at 5.00 am (IST) then what time (IST) will the Sun rise in Kandla in Gujarat?

(a) About 5.30 a.m.

(b) About 6.00 a.m.

(c) About 7.00 a.m.

(d) About 7.30 a.m.

D

7.

The Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy and Mekong Rivers originate in Tibet narrow and flow in parallel mountain ranges in their upper reaches. Of these rivers, Brahmaputra makes a ‘U’ turn in its course to flow into India. This ‘U’ turn is due to   

(a) Uplift of folded Himalayan ranges 

(b) Syntaxial bending of geologically young Himalayas

(c) Geo-tectonic disturbance in the tertiary folded mountain chains 

(d) Both (a) and (b)

8.

1. It is situated around the Dalma Hills on the Chota Nagpur Plateau.

2. The forests of Dalma come under the category "Dry peninsular Sal" and "Northern dry mixed deciduous Forest".

Which of the above is/are true w.r.t. Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

9.

1. It is a supersonic cruise missile.

2. It carries a warhead weighing 1000 kg.

3. It is a two-stage missile with a cryogenic liquid propellant booster engine as its first stage.

How many of the above are correct about ‘BrahMos?.

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All the three

(d) None of these

10.

Which one of the following is the correct order of formation of geological system in India in terms of their age? (Starting with the oldest)

(a) Aravallis - Dharwars - Vindhyans - Cuddapah

(b) Aravallis - Dharwars - Cuddapah - Vindhyans

(c) Aravallis - Vindhyans - Dharwars - Cuddapah

(d) Aravallis - Cuddapah - Vindhyans – Dharwars

·    

11.

1. During this several jobs are lost and people fall upon their savings.

2. It struggles around a low growth rate for some time, before rising gradually to usual levels.

Which of the above statements is/are correct w.r.t. K-Shaped Recovery?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

12.

Consider the following:

1. nitrogen

2. iron

3. phosphorus

4. humus

Yellow soil is deficient in

(a) 1, 4,

(b) 1, 2, 3         

(c) 1, 3, 4             

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4

o  

13.

Consider the following statements about ‘Open Network for Digital Commerce’(ONDC)-

1. Jan Dhan is built on top of open-source digital platform.

2. ONDC is modelled on the lines of Unified Payments Interface.

3. ONDC is being regulated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

4. Monetisation on the network is simple and clear.

(a) Only 1 & 2

(b) Only 1 & 3

(c) All are true

(d) Only 1 & 4

14.

Which of these is/are from Odisha ?.

1. Kapdaganda Shawl

2. Kanteimundi Brinjal

3. Kai Chutney

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

15.

Which one of the following is the correct order of Himalayan ranges from North to South?

(a) Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar, Pir Panjal, Siwalik

(b) Ladakh, Zaskar, Pir Panjal, Kara koram, Siwalik

(c) Pir Panjal, Zaskar, Karakoram, Ladakh, Siwalik

(d) Siwalik, Zaskar, Pir Panjal, Ladakh, Karakoram

16.

Nanda Devi peak forms a part of

(a) Assam Himalayas

(b) Kumaon Himalayas

(c) Nepal Himalayas

(d) Punjab Himalayas

17.

1. Chikungunya

2. Kala Azar

3. Dengue

Neglected Tropical Diseases include

(a) 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

18.

I. A soda lake is hypersaline.

II. Lonar Lake is a Soda Lake.

Which of the above statements is/are true?

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

19.

Most commercially exploited of all types of forests in India which house the trees named Tendu, palas, amaltas, are

(a) Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests

(b) Tropical dry Evergreen Forests

(c) Tropical thorn forests

(d) Tropical Semi Evergreen Forests

20.

Consider the following statements.

I. The hill range that separates the State of Manipur from the State of Nagaland is known as Patkai hills.

II. The Barail Range is the watershed between the Brahmaputra and Manas rivers.

Which of the above statements is/are true?.

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

·     

21.

I. It excludes parts of self-ruled Taiwan and most of the West Philippine Sea.

II. Inside this ten-dash line are the entire Spratly Islands, which include the Kalayaan Island Group.

Which of the above statements is/are true w.r.t. Ten-dash map of China?

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

22.

Which of the following is/are the characteristic/characteristics of Western Disturbances in India?.

1. It collects moisture from the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and Caspian Sea.

2. It traverses over Iran and Afghanistan before hitting the western Himalayas.

3. The trajectory of the subtropical westerly jet stream, which transports them, shifts during the winter months to the rim of the Himalayas.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

23.

Where is Nilwande Dam project?

(a) Uttar Pradesh

(b) Uttaranchal

(c) Gujarat

(d) Maharastra

24.

I. They emit ultrasonic sounds.

II. Their IUCN Conservation Status is Vulnerable.

Which of the above statements is/are true w.r.t. Ganges River Dolphins?

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

25.

“Karakoram Anomaly” is best described by

(a) Seismic stability

(b) Defiance of gravity

(c) Glacial expansion

(d) Volcanism in motion

EXPLANATIONS

1.

The Atal Tunnel goes through the Eastern Pir Panjal range and connects Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti Valley.

It is 9.02 km long and was constructed by the Border Roads Organisation.

The tunnel cuts the travel distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km and reduces travel time by 4-5 hours.

It also gives the armed forces better access to Ladakh.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/moulding-the-himalayas-needs-caution/article67576291.ece

D

2.

In 1884, the world was divided into 24 standard time zones. Now, each belt is a narrow belt running from north to south, with an east-west extent of 15 degrees. A meridian passing through the centre of each time zone has been selected to give the standard time of that zone. The standard time of Bangladesh is ahead of India by half an hour, as its standard meridian is 7.5° to the east of India’s standard meridian.

Udaipur city in Tripura is the nearest city to the tropic of cancer. That''s why even though Udaipur is in the north-east, it is a very hot place in summer.

B 

3.

The correct sequence of the rivers in India from the north towards the south is Shyok – Zaskar  – Spiti – Satluj. Shyok flows through northern Ladakh in India. Zaskar river flows in the north-eastern part of Ladakh. Spiti river is situated at Kaza in Himachal Pradesh at an elevation of 12500 feet. Satluj river rises from the slopes of Kailash and flows in a southwesterly direction to Himachal Pradesh & Punjab.

B

4.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/january-30-2024-current-affairs 

C

5.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/468-tribal-villages-in-ts-to-come-under-new-welfare-scheme/article67741408.ece#:~:text=Centre%20has%20identified%20468%20villages,Narendra%20Modi%20on%20Monday%2C%20TS

Kolam tribe:

• Kolam are a designated Scheduled Tribe in the Indian states of Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
• They are considered among the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGS).
• They are common in the Yavatmal, Chandrapur and Nanded districts of Maharashtra and live in hamlets called pod.
• They speak the Kolami language, which is a Dravidian language.
• They are an agricultural community.
• They have a high rate of returning positive to the Naked eye single tube red cell osmotic fragility test (NESTROFT), making them prone to high incidence of Thalassaemia.

Jan Jati Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan:

• The Central government is extending basic facilities to the endangered Kolam tribe under the Jan Jati Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan, focusing on health and education for the PVTG.
• The scheme targets improving road connectivity from mandal headquarters to Kolam villages, enhancing internal roads, and ensuring access to potable drinking water, electricity or solar energy, and LPG gas stoves and cylinders.
• Emphasis is placed on strengthening health and education for the Kolam tribe, with measures such as improving local primary healthcare centres (PHCs) and providing special training to teachers in the area for quality education.
• Anganwadis will be reinforced to offer nutritious food to pregnant, lactating women, and teenage girls, and financial assistance will be provided to pregnant women through the Ayushman Bharath scheme.
• The scheme identifies a total of 390 villages of PVTGs, including 197 in Adilabad, 20 in Mancherial, 24 in Nirmal, and 149 in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.
• Skill development training will be provided to unemployed youth, ensuring suitable employment opportunities.
• Additionally, farmers from PVTGs will receive agriculture motors, cattle, and agriculture tools under the scheme.
• The integrated tribal development agency officials will play a crucial role in implementing the Jan Jati Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan, addressing the unique needs of the Kolam tribe.

Toda Tribe:

• Toda people are a Dravidian ethnic group who live in the Nilgiri Mountains of Tamil Nadu.
• The life of Toda people is dependent upon the Shola forest of the Nilgiri region. They worship mainly the forces of nature like hills, mountains etc.
• They live in small thatched houses which are called dogles/munds, primarily built with bamboo, grass and cane.
• ‘Pukhoor’ is the hand embroidery craft of the Toda people that is mainly done by women. This embroidery of the tribe has been given the Geographical Indicator Tag.

Monpa Tribe:

• The Monpa tribe is a major ethnic group of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India.
• They are also one of the 56 officially recognized ethnic groups in China.
• Monpa people are completely dependent upon the cattles/animals like sheep, yak etc. for their survival.
• Their languages have usually been assumed to be a part of the Tibeto-Burman languages separate from the Tibetic cluster. They are written with the Tibetan alphabet.

 D

6.

The sun will rise in Gujarat at 8.00 AM.

• The time difference between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh is of 2 hours as they both lie on different longitudes.
• The successive longitudes have a difference of 4 minutes.
• If we calculate all the time differences of the longitudes between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh, the difference is about 120 minutes (2 hours).​
• Time along the Standard Meridian of India (82°30''E) passing through Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the standard time for the whole country.
• The latitudinal extent influences the duration of day and night, as one moves from south to north.

·         1 degree of longitude is equal to 4 minutes.

·         15-degree longitude is 1 hour.

·         One degree of latitude is 111 km on Earth''s surface.

·         When one crosses the International Date Line, the day and date changes.

·         When one crosses IDL to the west, one loses the day.

·         When one goes from west to east, one gains a day.

·         Russia has the highest number of time zones.

·         The prime meridian passes through Greenwich in England which is zero degrees longitude.

·         Opposite of prime meridian is IDL which is at 180-degree longitude.

·         IDL is a zigzag line and passes through Bering Strait.

C 

7.

• Brahmaputra river originates under the name of Siang or Dihang, from the Chemayungdung glacier of the Kailash range near the Mansarovar lake.
• It enters India west of Sadiya town in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Tributaries: Dibang, Lohit, Siang, Burhi Dihing, Tista, and Dhansari
• The Brahmaputra Valley has an average width of about 80 Km.
• The main river of the valley, Brahmaputra is one of the largest rivers in the world and rank fifth with respect to its average discharge.
• Namcha Barwa is a mountain peak in Tibetian Himalaya with a height of 7757 meters.
• The Tsangpo - Brahmaputra River takes a U-turn on reaching the Namcha Barwa and enters India in Arunachal Pradesh through a gorge.
• The Himalayas extend in the east-west direction from the Indus gorge in the west to the Brahmaputra gorge in the east.
• The gently arching ranges of the Himalayan mountains on their Western and Eastern extremities are sharply bent southward in deep Knee-bend flexures that are called syntaxial bends.
• The western syntaxial bend occurs near the Nanga Parbat and the eastern syntaxial bend occurs near the Namche Barwa.
• This is also one of the reasons for the U-turn of the Brahmaputra.

B

8.

Dalma wildlife sanctuary

1) The State Government may designate some areas as wildlife sanctuaries under the Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 if they are thought to be of significant ecological, geomorphological, and natural value.
2)  India’s wildlife sanctuaries cover 122564.86 km2 or 3.73% of the country’s total land area.
3) There are 567 wildlife sanctuaries in the country.
4)They are IUCN Category IV protected areas.

C

9.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/january-27-2024-current-affairs

A 

10.

• Aravalli Range is the oldest mountain range. It rose in the Pre-Cambrian era.
• It is a mountain range in Northwestern India.
• Guru Shikhar is the highest peak.
• Dharwar system considered to be 2500 million to 1800 million old. 
• It is the result of weathering of the Archaean rocks.
• The weathering produced sediments and formed the oldest sedimentary strata. 
• Cuddapah system is considered to be 1400-600 million years old. It is named after the Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh, due to large development of outcrops of Cudappah rocks. They were formed when sedimentary rocks like sandstone, limestone etc., and clay were deposited in synclinal folds.
• Vindhyan range is considered to come after Cuddapah system. These rocks are sedimentary in nature as these have been formed after the Cuddapah rocks by the deposition of silt of river valleys and shallow oceans.
• Hence the correct order is - Aravallis - Dharwars - Cuddapahs - Vindhyans.

B

11.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explainspeaking-when-will-indias-economy-recover-shape-of-its-recovery-6447775/

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/economy/fm-sitharaman-rejects-k-shaped-recovery-theory-for-india-asks-doubters-to-explain-12125621.html

K-Shaped Recovery

• The concept of K-shaped recovery came to light during the covid 19 pandemic.
• K-shaped recovery portends a diverging economic scenario where certain sectors of the economy will be thriving while other sectors will continue to decline or struggle to recover. 
• The thriving sector is represented in the upper part of K while the declining part of the economy is represented in the lower part of the K shape.
• Similar to the shape of the letter “K”, an economy will consist of different divisions based on wealth, geographic and industrial characteristics. In this context, K-shaped recovery can exacerbate inequalities in an economy due to differences in recovery between various sectors.

Causes

• The emergence of technology and new companies can disrupt an even recovery during a recession. Example: Tech-based industries thrived during the pandemic while the hospitality and tourism industry got affected.
• Sometimes government efforts to revive the economy through monetary and fiscal policy during a recession can also cause uneven recovery leading to a K-shaped recovery.
• If a recession is coupled with economic shocks it can affect different sectors of the economy differently.

Signs of K-shaped Recovery in the Indian Economy:

• Private consumption expenditure which is an important component in GDP calculation is slowing down due to a K-shaped recovery. 
• The Private Final Consumption Expenditure component of the GDP suggests slowing down.
• Since K-shaped recovery furthers uneven consumption and expenditure due to unequal recovery in sectors, private consumption slowdown is attributed to K-shaped recovery catching up.
• Various data such as from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy suggest that while the listed companies in the formal sector are doing well overall in terms of sales, segments within the formal sector are struggling.
• Other data such as teledensity, sales of jewellery, two-wheelers and cars are also slowing down. FMCG sales data also reveal a rural-urban divide in spending.
• However, according to the government, assuming a K-shaped recovery in the Indian economy is not valid since both Urban and Rural spending are recovering though at different paces.

D

12.

Red Soils

• Red soils along with its minor groups form the largest soil group of India.
• The main parent rocks are crystalline and metamorphic rocks like acid granites, gneisses and quartzites.

Characteristics of Red Soils

• The texture of these soils can vary from sand to clay, the majority being loams.
• On the uplands, the red soils are poor, gravelly, and porous. But in the lower areas they are rich, deep dark and fertile.

Chemical Composition of Red Soils

• They are acidic mainly due to the nature of the parent rocks. The alkali content is fair.
• They are poor in lime, magnesia, phosphates, nitrogen and humus.
• They are fairly rich in potash and potassium.

Color of Red Soils

• The red colour is due to the presence of iron oxide.
• When limestone, granites, gneisses and quartzites are eroded the clay enclosed within the rocks remains intact with other forms of non-soluble materials.
• In oxidizing conditions, rust or iron oxide develops in the clay, when the soil is present above the water table giving the soil a characteristic red colour.
• The colour is more due to the wide diffusion rather than high percentage of iron oxide content.

Distribution of Red Soils

• These soils mostly occur in the regions of low rainfall.
• They occupy about 3.5 lakh sq km (10.6 per cent) of the total area of the country.
• These soils are spread on almost the whole of Tamil Nadu.
• Other regions with red soil include parts of Karnataka, south-east of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Chota Nagpur plateau; parts of south Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh; Aravalis and the eastern half of Rajasthan (Mewar or Marwar Plateau), parts of North-Eastern states.

Crops in Red Soils

• The red soils are mostly loamy and hence cannot retain water like the black soils.
• The red soils, with the proper use of fertilizers and irrigation techniques, give good yield of cotton, wheat, rice, pulses, millets, tobacco, oil seeds, potatoes and fruits.

C 

13.

https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/explained-what-is-the-open-network-for-digital-commerce/article66878581.ece

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1884249

A 

14.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/food/mayurbhanj-s-red-ant-chutney-receives-gi-tag-why-this-is-important-for-nutritional-security-of-tribals-93707

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/gi-tags-for-over-17-products-from-odisha-arunachal-pradesh-west-bengal-and-jk/article67707062.ece 

D 

15.

A

16.

Nanda Devi peak is located in the Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand. Nanda Devi is known as the ‘Goddess of Bliss''. The eastern summit of Nanda Devi is known as the Sunanda Devi. The Nanda Devi Peak is elevated at a distance of about 7,434 metres. The peak is surrounded by the Nanda Devi Sanctuary and Nanda Devi National Park. The Park in the year 1988 has been declared as the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nanda Devi peak forms a part of the Kumaon Himalayas. The Kumaon Mountains are the part of the northern Himalayas which is situated 320 km away from the Sutlej River and is in the east of Kali River. The Kumaon Himalayas are in the south direction and are part of the Shiwalik Range while moving to the North direction, it forms a part of the Greater Himalayas. A large number of rivers including Gori, Kali and Dhauli flow through this mountain range.

B

17.

World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day is observed every year on January 30.

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs):

• NTDs are a diverse group of 20 conditions/diseases that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they thrive among people living in impoverished communities. 
• They are caused by a variety of pathogens (including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins) and are associated with devastating health, social, and economic consequences.
• These include Guinea worm, Chikungunya, Dengue, Kala Azar (Visceral Leishmaniasis), and Elephantiasis (Lymphatic Filariasis), among others, and India is home to about 12 NTDs. 
• The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that NTDs affect more than 1 billion people, while the number of people requiring NTD interventions (both preventive and curative) is 1.6 billion.
• The epidemiology of NTDs is complex and often related to environmental conditions. Many of them are vector-borne, have animal reservoirs, and are associated with complex life cycles. All these factors make their public-health control challenging.
• Global Initiative to end NTDs: The WHO’s new road map for 2021–2030 calls for three strategic shifts to end NTDs:
• From measuring process to measuring impact.
• From disease-specific planning and programming to collaborative work across sectors.
• From externally driven agendas reliant on programmes that are country-owned and country-financed.

D

18.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/january-25-2024-current-affairs

• Lonar Lake, also known as Lonar crater, is a notified National Geo-heritage Monument.
• It is located at Lonar in Buldhana district, Maharashtra, India.
• Lonar Lake was created by a meteorite collision impact during the Pleistocene Epoch.
• It is one of the four known, hyper-velocity, impact craters in basaltic rock anywhere on Earth. 
• The other three basaltic impact structures are in southern Brazil.
• Lonar Lake has a mean diameter of 1.2 kilometres and is about 137 meters (449 ft) below the crater rim.

Soda lakes in india

C

19.

https://iasgoogle.com/editorial/forests-in-india

• Tropical Thorn Forest is a type of desert formation that has scrub-like vegetation.
• They are characterized as mostly tropical and subtropical forests with trees and plants armed with thorns and spines.
• The vegetation here is too scarce and with tall trees laid against the sparse ground where there is a lack of grass.
• In the tropical thorn forest trees like – Babool tree, ber tree, wild date palm, Khair tree, neem, khejri tree, palas tree, etc.
• The tropical Thorn forests and the Scrubs are the most dominant variety of forests that experience an average rainfall of less than 70cm. 70cm is a very scanty rainfall.
• These kinds of vegetation are usually seen in the semi-arid regions of India like in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and other drier areas of the Deccan Plateau. 

Deciduous Forests

The Indian vegetation is mostly consisting of tropical deciduous forests. These forests are found in regions receiving rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm. The tropical deciduous forests shed their leaves for about 1.5 to 2 months before winter. Some evergreen trees retain their leaves throughout the year. Deciduous forests are having different varieties of trees.  

Edible fruit-bearing trees like apples, oranges, bananas, and pears and non-edible fruit-bearing trees like maple, eke, elm, beech, and birch are found in the maximum regions of tropical deciduous forests.

Deciduous Forest Characteristics

The table which is given below mentions the main features of Tropical Deciduous Forests and also differentiates them from the other types of forests:

Types of Deciduous Forests: Moist Deciduous and Dry Deciduous Forests

In the table given below we will understand the features and characteristics of moist and dry deciduous forests:

A

20.

Patkai Bum is located in the eastern part of India, along the India-Myanmar border. It runs from north to south and forms a natural boundary between the two countries.

The hill range that separates the State of Manipur from the State of Nagaland is known as Barail hills. The Barail is the highest hill range in Assam. It includes the North Cachar Hill Reserve Forest (RF) of Cachar district, Barail RF of Cachar and North Cachar Hills districts and the unclassified forests stretching from the Simleng river valley in the west to Laike in the east (in North Cachar Hills district). The Barail Range is the watershed between the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers. The terrain ranges from flat and undulating in the river valleys, to mountainous with steep slopes. 

B 

21.

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/218524/chinas-new-10-dash-line-map-features-taiwan-still-includes-wps

B 

22.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/climate-change-is-causing-western-disturbances-to-weaken-here-is-how-88291 

D 

23.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/after-53-yr-wait-nilwande-canal-network-set-for-start/articleshow/100606828.cms

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/mumbai-trans-harbour-link-indias-longest-sea-bridge-inaugurated/article67735438.ece

D

24.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/january-21-2024-current-affairs

A

25.

Studies have shown that summer ‘vortex’ of cold air over the Karakoram Mountain range is causing the glaciers in the region to grow in spite of global warming. This glacial phenomenon is called Karakoram anomaly.

·         In India, Himalayan glaciers are very significant, specifically for people living downstream. They depend on perennial rivers for daily water needs. However, due to global warming and climate change, the water bodies are rapidly disappearing. On the other hand, glaciers in central Karakoram have remained the same. In fact, they have risen slightly in past few decades. This phenomenon is restricted to a relatively small area. Apart from Karakoram range, similar or comparable phenomenon can be witnessed from Kunlun ranges.

·         Even in Himalayas, glaciers are losing mass.

Researchers linked this phenomenon to “resurgence of western disturbances (WDs)”. The phenomenon of Karakoram not losing glacier mass, is known as Karakoram Anomaly”.

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