1.

I. He repaired the Qutub Minar, which had been damaged by an earthquake.

II. He provided the principle of inheritance to the armed forces.

Which of the above statements is/are true w.r.t. Firoz Shah Tughlaq?.

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

2.

I. It runs parallel to the northern side of the Narmada River.

II. It houses Bhimbetka, a World Heritage Site.

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

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

3.

Sea of Oman

(a) connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz

(b) connects the Pacific Ocean with the Strait of Hormuz

(c) connects the Pacific Ocean with the Sea of Makran

(d) connects the Arabian Sea with the Sea of Makran

4.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation currently comprises

(a) eight Member States that includes India, Pakistan, and Iran.

(b) ten Member States that includes India, Pakistan, and Iran

(c) eight Member States that includes India and Pakistan.

(d) ten Member States that includes India and Pakistan.

5.

Where is blood red waterfall?

(a) USA

(b) Alps

(c) Antarctica

(d) Russia

6.

Which of the following is/are true w.r.t. Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI)?

1. It is released by the UNDP.

2. It covers four key dimensions: political, educational, economic, and physical integrity.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

7.

Which of the following is/are true w.r.t. whale shark?

1. Its IUCN Conservation Status is Endangered.

2. It bites and chews its food.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

8.

Which one of the following provisions was not made in the Charter Act of 1833?

(a) The trading activities of the East India Company were to be abolished.

(b) The designation of the supreme authority was to be changed as the Governor-General of India in Council.

(c) All law-making powers to be conferred on GovernorGeneral in Council.

(d) An Indian was to be appointed as a Law Member in the Governor-General''s Council.

9.

With reference to ibuprofen, consider the following statements;

1. It helps relieve headaches, muscle aches and arthritis.

2. It is a steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

3. It has an anti-platelet activity.

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

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

10.

Wootz is a/an

(a) taxation policy

(b) dye

(c) coin made of gold

(d) steel

11.

‘Y-9DZ Electronic Warfare Aircraft’, seen in the news, belong to

(a) North Korea

(b) Iran

(c) Japan

(d) China

12.

1. It is caused by fungi.

2. It primarily affects sugarcane.

Which of the above statements is/are correct w.r.t.  Bakanae Disease?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2  

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

13.

1. It was was brokered by the World Bank, which, too, is a signatory to the treaty.

2. It gives control over the waters of the three "eastern rivers'''' to India while control over the waters of the three "western rivers'''' '''' to Pakistan.

3. It provides for the Permanent Indus Commission.

4. It took effect on April 1, 1960.

The correct statements w.r.t. Indus Waters Treaty include

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 3

(c) 2, 3 and 4

(d) 1, 2. 3 and 4

14.

1. The first decisive military success of English East India Company in India is marked by this.

2. It resulted in the Treaty of Allahabad, in which the Mughal Emperor surrendered sovereignty of Bengal to the British.

Which of the above statements is/are correct w.r.t.  Battle of Buxar?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

15.

Bureau of Energy efficiency

(a) is a statutory body under the Union Ministry of Power.

(b) is an executive body under the Union Ministry of Power.

(c) is a statutory body under the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

(d) is an executive body under the Union Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

16.

Consider the following statements about the education policy of British India.

1. General Committee of Public Institution (1823) was headed by Lord Macaulay and consisted of ten European members.

2. Saddler Commission included two Indian members- Ashutosh Mukherji and Zia Uddin Ahmed.

3. Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms transferred department education to provincial control.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

17.

Consider the following statements regarding Myristica swamps:

1. These are living fossils.

2. These are found in the Sacred Groves.

3. Kammadam Kavu in Karnataka is home to a Myristica swamps.

4. Myristica trees have stilt roots facilitating toxin removal.

(a) 1, 2. 3

(b) 1, 3. 4

(c) 2, 3. 4

(d) 1, 2. 4

18.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. Geminid meteor shower on Earth:

1. It peaks during mid-December each year.

2. It originates from comets.

Which of the given statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

19.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. Tryptophan.

1. Human body produces enough of it.

2. It is a lipid.

(a) Only 1 is true

(b) Only 2 is true

(c) Both 1 and 2 are true

(d) Neither 1 nor 2 is true

20.

Denisovans in news refer to

(a) dinosaurs

(b) fishes

(c) human beings

(d) birds

21.

Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). 

Assertion (A):  The Asiatic Society of Bengal was established in the period of Warren Hastings and he modestly declined the offer of Presidentship of that learned body in favour of Sir William Jones. 

Reason (R): Warren Hastings was himself a great scholar and an ardent orientalist who used to encourage the study of Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic. 

(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).  

(b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A). 

(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false. 

(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

22.

I. It is one of the seven payloads on Aditya-L1.

II. It will help in the measurement of solar radiation from Hard X-ray to Infrared.

Which of the above statements is/are true w.r.t. Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT)?.

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I & II

(d) Neither I nor II

23.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has detected a new carbon compound in space for the first time. The name of the compound is

(a) urotropine

(b) methylium

(c) urea

(d) meth ether

24.

The immediate cause of the Deccan Riots of 1875 was  

(a) the shadow of a famine 

(b) high interest rates charged by Mahajans 

(c) high land revenue rates 

(d) protest against imposition

25.

Where is Abohar wildlife sanctuary?.

(a) Punjab

(b) Assam

(c) West Bengal

(d) Rajasthan

1.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-18-current-affairs-2023

C

2.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-23-current-affairs-2023

C

3.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/july-06-current-affairs-2023

A

4.

(a) nine Member States that includes India, Pakistan, and Iran.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/everyday-explainers/iran-co-new-member-explained-8741027/

C

5.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/july-08-current-affairs-2023

C

6.

https://iasgoogle.com/n/june-15-current-affairs-2023

C

7.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-18-current-affairs-2023  

A

8.

https://iasgoogle.com/editorial/charter-acts

D

9.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhi-govt-advises-against-sale-of-ibuprofen-aspirin-without-docs-prescription/articleshow/101999576.cms

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-19-current-affairs-2023  

C

10.

https://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/hess201.pdf  - Page.No.10.

D

11.

https://iasgoogle.com/n/june-12-current-affairs-2023

D

12.

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/farmers-report-foot-rot-disease-in-basmati-experts-say-junk-saplings-grow-fresh-batch-8643676/

Foot rot disease, also known as Bakanae Disease, is a fungal infection that affects the Basmati variety of paddy.

A

13.

The treaty took effect on April 1, 1961.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-28-current-affairs-2023

A

14.

The Battle of Buxar and its aftermath marked a critical phase in India''s colonial history, reshaping the balance of power between the British East India Company and the native rulers. The conflict emerged from the Company''s increasing influence and resistance from local rulers, especially Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Bengal. The battle''s result solidified the Company''s dominance, making them a major power in northern India and contenders for supremacy over the entire subcontinent.

Following the battle, the Company implemented a dual system of governance, controlling both revenue collection and administration, leading to profound consequences for the people of Bengal. However, the dual government''s failures and the subsequent abolition by Governor-General Warren Hastings brought a definitive shift in power dynamics, consolidating the Company''s control over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa and altering the course of Indian history forever.

            The British East India Company had initially expected Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Bengal, to be a compliant puppet ruler. However, Mir Kasim defied the Company''s expectations. 

• Mir Kasim’s assertion: Ram Narayan, the deputy governor of Bihar, refused to submit the accounts of Bihar''s revenues despite repeated requests from Mir Kasim. This open defiance of Mir Kasim''s authority led to tensions. 
• Furthermore, English officials in Patna supported Ram Narayan, exacerbating the situation. 
• Misuse of Dastaks: The Company officials also misused their trade permits, known as dastaks, which exempted specified goods from paying duties. 
• Thе misusе of dastaks rеsultеd in rеducеd tax rеvеnuе for Mir Kasim and unfair advantagеs for Company mеrchants ovеr local tradеrs.  
• The Company had obtained the right to trade in Bengal without paying transit dues or tolls through a Mughal imperial farman. 
• However, Company servants claimed the same privileges for their private trade and sold dastaks to Indian merchants for a commission. 
• They also resorted to coercive methods to obtain goods at cheaper rates, which contradicted the spirit of duty-free trade. 
• Abolition of duties: Mir Kasim decided to abolish the duties altogether, but the British protested and demanded preferential treatment. Thе disputе ovеr transit dutiеs еscalatеd into armеd conflict, lеading to wars bеtwееn thе English and Mir Kasim in 1763.   

The Battle of Buxar

The combined armies of Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Awadh, and Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor of India, were defeated by the English forces under Major Hector Munro at the Battle of Buxar on October 22, 1764. 

• The victory of English: 
• The English achieved successive victories at Katwah, Murshidabad, Giria, Sooty, and Munger. 
• Aftеr thе Battlе of Buxar, Mir Kasim sought rеfugе in Awadh and formеd an alliancе with thе Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-daulah, and thе Mughal Empеror, Shah Alam II, in an attеmpt to rеgain control of Bеngal from thе English.  
• The battle was closely contested, and the English campaign against Mir Kasim proved to be short but decisive. 

 Impact of the Battle of Buxar

This battle''s significance lies in the fact that it resulted in the defeat of not only the Nawab of Bengal but also the Mughal Emperor of India by the English forces. 

• English as major power: The English victory established them as a major power in northern India and contenders for supremacy over the entire country.

• Mir Jafar reappointed as Nawab: Following the battle, Mir Jafar was reappointed Nawab in 1763 as the relations between Mir Kasim and the English East India Company became strained.
• He agrееd to cеdе thе districts of Midnaporе, Burdwan, and Chittagong to thе English for thе maintеnancе of thеir army.  
• The English were also granted permission for duty-free trade in Bengal, except for a two per cent duty on salt. 
• The real power with The English: After the death of Mir Jafar, his minor son, Najim-ud-daula, was appointed as the nawab, but the real power of administration remained in the hands of the naib-subahdar, who could be appointed or dismissed by the English.

 The Treaty of Allahabad

In August 1765, Robert Clive, the Governor-General of Bengal, concluded two significant treaties at Allahabad. One treaty was with Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula of Awadh, and the other was with the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. 

• Treaty with Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula:
• He agreed to surrender Allahabad and Kara to Emperor Shah Alam II, 
• pay the Company Rs.50 lakh as a war indemnity, and 
• grant full possession of the estate of Balwant Singh, Zamindar of Banaras.
• Treaty with Shah Alam II: 
• He agreed to reside in Allahabad, which would be ceded to him by Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula under the Company''s protection. 
• He issued a farman granting the Diwani (revenue rights) of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to the East India Company in exchange for an annual payment of Rs 26 lakh, and 
• provided Rs 53 lakh to the Company for Nizamat functions (military defence, police, and administration of justice) in the said provinces. 
• Robert Clive’s tactics: 
• He intended to avoid annexing Awadh, as it would have made the Company responsible for protecting an extensive land frontier against Afghan and Maratha invasions. 
• The treaty established a friendly relationship with the Nawab and transformed Awadh into a buffer state. 
• Clive''s arrangement with Shah Alam II served practical purposes, making the emperor a useful figurehead for the Company.
• Additionally, the emperor''s farman legalised the political gains of the Company in Bengal. 

C

15.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-28-current-affairs-2023

A

16.

https://iasgoogle.com/editorial/education-in-british-india

D

17.

Kammadam Kavu in Kerala is home to a Myristica swamps.

Myristica swamps are found in the Western Ghats, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Meghalaya. Members of the flowering plant family Myristicaceae, which has 18 genera and 300 species across the tropics, dominate these swamps.

This family, a type of wild nutmeg, has shade-tolerant evergreen trees with pinkish-red resinous sap in the bark, and simple, dark-green, alternate leaves. Four genera (15 species) of Myristicaceae are found in India, of which three genera (five species) are endemic to the Western Ghats. Two species — Gymnacranthera canarica and Myristica fatua — are exclusively restricted to Myristica swamps. These vanishing swamp forests are widely regarded as ‘living fossils’ due to their primitive origins. Indee...

Myristica trees have stilt roots growing above the water level, facilitating transpiration, photosynthesis, and toxin removal, with a thin, moist bark and large leaves that shed water easily.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/green-fading-away-to-dull-grey/article66807349.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/rare-forest-ecosystem-faces-steady-degradation-in-kollam/article67544492.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/climate-change-and-human-intervention-threaten-the-myristica-swamps-of-kerala/article66896954.ece

a

18.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-16-current-affairs-2023

A

19.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-22-current-affairs-2023

D

20.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-28-current-affairs-2023

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/human-nose-genes-neanderthals-evolution-medicine/article66877109.ece

C

21.

Warren Hastings was the Governor-general of Bengal during 1774-85 AD. It was with his aid and support that the Asiatic Society of Bengal could be founded. Warren Hastings was a great scholar and an ardent orientalist who used to encourage the study of Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic. He modestly declined the off er of Presidentship of Asiatic Society of Bengal in favour of Sir William Jones.

B

22.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-17-current-affairs-2023

C

23.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/july-04-current-affairs-2023

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/detecting-carbon-molecules-space-jwst-8699417/

B

24.

https://amritmahotsav.nic.in/district-reopsitory-detail.htm?13873#:~:text=The%20Deccan%20Riots%2C%20which%20took,exaggerated%20revenue%20demands%20and%20maladministration.

B

25.

https://iasgoogle.com/current_affair/june-24-current-affairs-2023

A