NDA — Set 6

Correct Answer: D. Surkotada

**Surkotada** in Gujarat is notable for its **horse bones** (disputed evidence of domesticated horses) and distinctive **'S-shaped' jar burials**, setting it apart from other Harappan sites. Excavated by J.P. Joshi of ASI in 1964-68, it shows a unique **fortification pattern** with a citadel and residential area within a single enclosure. This site is significant for challenging the assumption that horses were absent in Harappan civilisation.

Correct Answer: B. Creating a moral code for all subjects regardless of faith

Ashoka's **Dhamma** (Prakrit for Dharma) was not identical to Buddhism but a **universal moral code** emphasising non-violence, respect for elders, generosity, and tolerance of all sects. It was inscribed on **rock edicts and pillar edicts** and propagated through Dhamma Mahamattas (officers of righteousness). The intent was to create social harmony across the diverse **Mauryan empire** by appealing to shared ethical values rather than imposing a single religion.

Correct Answer: D. Narmada

The **Narmada River** originates from **Amarkantak plateau** in Madhya Pradesh and flows westward through a **rift valley** (graben) between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges before draining into the **Gulf of Khambhat**. Unlike most peninsular rivers that drain eastward into the Bay of Bengal, Narmada and Tapti are exceptions flowing west. Tapti also originates from Satpura hills near Betul, not Amarkantak.

Correct Answer: B. The Governor reports that constitutional governance has broken down

**Article 356** (President's Rule / State Emergency) is invoked when the President is satisfied, usually on the **Governor's report**, that the government of a state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. The **44th Amendment 1978** requires presidential proclamation to be approved by Parliament within **2 months** by simple majority. In the **S.R. Bommai case (1994)**, the Supreme Court held that the Assembly cannot be dissolved before parliamentary approval.

Correct Answer: B. Lift generated by an aircraft wing

**Bernoulli's Principle** states that an increase in fluid speed results in a decrease in pressure (P + ½ρv² + ρgh = constant). An **aircraft wing (aerofoil)** is shaped so that air flows faster over the curved upper surface than the flat lower surface, creating **lower pressure above** and higher pressure below, generating **lift**. This principle also explains the Magnus effect in spinning balls, the carburetor function, and atomiser sprays.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above

India and France conduct **tri-service exercises**: **Shakti** (Army), **Varuna** (Navy), and **Garuda** (Air Force), making them one of the most comprehensive bilateral defence partnerships. The exercises enhance **interoperability** and joint operational capability between the two strategic partners. India and France signed the **Strategic Partnership** in 1998, and France has been a key supplier of **Rafale fighter jets** to the Indian Air Force.

Correct Answer: B. Established dual control of India by the Crown and Company

**Pitt's India Act 1784** established a system of **dual control** where a **Board of Control** (Crown) supervised political, military and revenue matters while the Court of Directors (Company) handled commercial affairs. This was in response to the **Regulating Act of 1773** which proved inadequate in controlling Company misrule. The Act effectively made the Company an agent of the British Crown, laying the foundation for eventual **Crown rule formalised in 1858**.

Correct Answer: B. South China Sea and Indian Ocean

The **Strait of Malacca** is a narrow waterway between the **Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra**, connecting the **Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean)** to the **South China Sea**. It is the world's busiest shipping lane, carrying **over 25% of global trade** including oil from the Persian Gulf to East Asia. Its strategic importance makes it critical for **energy security of Japan, China, and South Korea**.

Correct Answer: B. 23 chromosomes (haploid)

Human gametes (sperm and egg cells) are **haploid**, containing **23 chromosomes** (n=23), produced through **meiosis** which halves the chromosome number. During **fertilisation**, the fusion of sperm and egg restores the **diploid number of 46 chromosomes** (23 pairs) in the zygote. This reduction division is essential to prevent chromosome number from doubling with each generation, maintaining **species-specific chromosome number**.

Correct Answer: C. Article 368

**Article 368** grants Parliament the power to amend the Constitution by way of **addition, variation or repeal** of any provision. The amendment procedure varies: some articles require simple majority, others special majority (2/3 of members present and voting + majority of total membership), and some additionally require **ratification by at least half the state legislatures**. The **Kesavananda Bharati case (1973)** established the **Basic Structure Doctrine**, limiting Parliament's amending power.

Correct Answer: C. Promotion of painting and fine arts

**Jahangir** (r. 1605-1627) was a great patron of **Mughal miniature painting**, and his reign is considered the **golden age of Mughal painting**. He maintained a detailed **Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri (Jahangirnama)**, a memoir showcasing his keen observation of nature and art. Notable court painters included **Ustad Mansur** (known for natural subjects) and **Bichitr**; Jahangir himself claimed he could identify any painting by its artist.

Correct Answer: C. Mediterranean Sea

**Western Disturbances** are extratropical cyclones originating in the **Mediterranean Sea** that travel eastward across Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan before reaching northwestern India. They bring **winter rainfall to the Indo-Gangetic plains** and **snowfall to the Himalayas**, which is crucial for the **Rabi crop** season (wheat cultivation). The moisture content is enhanced as the disturbances pass over the **Caspian and Arabian Seas**.

Correct Answer: C. Right to Property (Art 300A)

The **Right to Property** was originally a Fundamental Right under **Article 19(1)(f) and Article 31**, but was **deleted by the 44th Constitutional Amendment in 1978** under the Janata government. It now exists as a **legal right under Article 300A** ('No person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law'), but without the status of a Fundamental Right and hence not enforceable under Article 32. The deletion was intended to facilitate land reform legislation.

Correct Answer: B. Its range exceeding 5,500 km

A missile is classified as an **ICBM** based on its **range exceeding 5,500 km**, regardless of its propulsion type or warhead configuration. **Agni-V** has a range of approximately **5,500-8,000 km**, placing it in the ICBM class and making India one of a handful of nations with such capability. It uses **three-stage solid fuel propulsion** and is canisterised for **road-mobile deployment**, enhancing **second-strike capability** as part of India's nuclear triad.

Correct Answer: B. Inversely proportional to volume

**Boyle's Law** (Robert Boyle, 1662) states that at **constant temperature**, the pressure of a given mass of gas is **inversely proportional to its volume** (PV = constant, or P₁V₁ = P₂V₂). This is a special case of the **Ideal Gas Law** (PV = nRT) when T is constant. The law explains why **deep-sea divers** must ascend slowly (nitrogen gas expanding as pressure decreases), and why **syringes and bicycle pumps** work.

Correct Answer: B. 1911

The **Partition of Bengal (1905)** by Lord Curzon was annulled in **1911** during the Delhi Durbar by King George V and Viceroy Hardinge. The partition had divided Bengal along communal lines (West Bengal + Bihar + Orissa = Hindu majority; East Bengal + Assam = Muslim majority) and triggered the **Swadeshi Movement**. The annulment was a political concession following mass agitation, and simultaneously the **capital was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi**.

Correct Answer: B. Stratosphere

The **ozone layer** is located in the **stratosphere**, approximately **15-35 km above Earth's surface**, with maximum concentration around 20-25 km. It absorbs **95-99% of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV-B and UV-C) radiation**, protecting life on Earth. The **Montreal Protocol (1987)** phased out ozone-depleting substances like **CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)**, and the Antarctic ozone hole (discovered 1985) has been gradually recovering as a result.

Correct Answer: B. Awadh

**Awadh (Oudh)** was annexed by Lord Dalhousie in **1856** not through the Doctrine of Lapse (which applied to states without natural heirs) but on grounds of **misgovernance**, making it the last major pre-1857 annexation. The Doctrine of Lapse was used for **Satara (1848), Jaipur, Sambhalpur, Baghat, Udaipur, Jhansi (1853), Nagpur (1854)**. The annexation of Awadh, home to many **Bengal sepoys**, was a major grievance leading to the **1857 revolt**.

Correct Answer: C. Barometer

A **barometer** measures **atmospheric pressure**, invented by **Evangelista Torricelli** in 1643. Standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is **101,325 Pa (760 mmHg or 1 atm)**. The **aneroid barometer** (without liquid) uses a sealed metallic chamber that expands/contracts with pressure changes and is widely used in **altimeters** for aircraft and mountaineers since pressure decreases with altitude at approximately **12 Pa per meter**.

Correct Answer: A. STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery)

**INS Vikramaditya** is a **STOBAR** (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) carrier, featuring a **ski-jump ramp** at 14.5° inclination for aircraft launch and **arrester wires** for recovery. Formerly the Russian **Admiral Gorshkov**, it was commissioned into the Indian Navy on **16 November 2013** and operates **MiG-29K** fighters. The indigenous **INS Vikrant (IAC-1)** also uses the STOBAR configuration, while the **US Navy carriers** use CATOBAR.

Correct Answer: B. Formed in high temperature and heavy rainfall areas, poor in nutrients

**Laterite soil** is formed in regions of **high temperature and heavy seasonal rainfall** through intense **leaching** (washing away of soluble minerals). It is **deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and lime** as these nutrients are washed away, making it generally **infertile for crops** without fertilisers. Found in the **Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, parts of Rajmahal Hills and Northeast**, it is characterised by **high iron and aluminium oxide content**, giving it a reddish-brick colour.

Correct Answer: B. Vikram

The lander of **Chandrayaan-3** is named **Vikram** (after **Vikram Sarabhai**, father of the Indian space programme), which successfully **soft-landed near the Moon's south pole on 23 August 2023**. The rover deployed from Vikram is named **Pragyan** (meaning 'wisdom' in Sanskrit), which conducted surface experiments. India became the **first nation to soft-land near the lunar south pole** and the **fourth nation overall** to achieve a soft lunar landing.

Correct Answer: B. Parliament, on a resolution passed by the State Legislative Assembly

Under **Article 169**, Parliament can create or abolish a **Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council)** but only if the **State Legislative Assembly passes a resolution** to that effect by a **special majority** (majority of total membership + 2/3 of members present and voting). Parliament then passes an **ordinary legislation** (simple majority) to effect the change. Currently only **6 states** have Vidhan Parishads: UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.

Correct Answer: B. Particle nature through photon interaction

The **photoelectric effect** (explained by **Albert Einstein in 1905**, Nobel Prize 1921) demonstrates the **particle nature of light**, showing that light consists of **photons** with energy E = hf (h = Planck's constant, f = frequency). When photons of sufficient energy strike a metal surface, they eject **electrons**, with the kinetic energy of ejected electrons depending only on **frequency**, not intensity. This wave-particle duality is foundational to **quantum mechanics**.

Correct Answer: A. Muhammad of Ghor and Prithviraj Chahamana

The **First Battle of Tarain (1191)** saw **Prithviraj III (Chahamana/Chauhan)** defeat **Muhammad of Ghor** near present-day Haryana; Muhammad was injured and fled. In the **Second Battle of Tarain (1192)**, Muhammad returned with cavalry tactics and decisively defeated Prithviraj, who was captured and executed. This battle is historically significant as it **opened the doors of northern India to Turkic rule**, leading to the establishment of the **Delhi Sultanate in 1206**.

Correct Answer: D. Pacific Ocean

The **'Ring of Fire'** (Circum-Pacific Belt) is a horseshoe-shaped zone encircling the **Pacific Ocean**, stretching approximately **40,000 km** and containing **75% of the world's volcanoes** and **90% of the world's earthquakes**. It is caused by the movement of **tectonic plates** — primarily the **Pacific Plate** subducting under surrounding plates. Countries along the Ring of Fire include Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, New Zealand, Chile, and the western coasts of North and South America.

Correct Answer: C. Nitrous oxide (N₂O)

**Nitrous oxide (N₂O)** is a potent greenhouse gas with **Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 298 times that of CO₂** over 100 years and does not contain carbon. It is produced by **agricultural soils, livestock manure, and industrial processes**. While the question mentions 'not involving carbon', technically CH₄ contains carbon, CO₂ contains carbon, and H₂O and N₂O do not — but N₂O is the correct greenhouse gas answer as H₂O is not typically counted in anthropogenic forcing in the same category.

Correct Answer: B. Article 51A(h)

**Article 51A(h)** of the Indian Constitution (added by the **42nd Amendment 1976**) states it is the duty of every citizen to **'develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform'**. The **11 Fundamental Duties** (10 original + 1 added by 86th Amendment) are non-justiciable but serve as **guidelines for citizens**. Article 51A(g) concerns protection of the environment, while Article 48A is a DPSP on environment protection.

Correct Answer: C. Indian sub-continent

The **Indian Ocean** is the only ocean named after a country and is bounded in the **north by the Indian sub-continent**, which divides it into the **Arabian Sea** (northwest) and the **Bay of Bengal** (northeast). It is the **third largest ocean** (70.56 million sq km), bordered by Africa to the west, Australia to the east, and the **Southern Ocean** (Antarctica) to the south. India's strategic location at the **apex of the Indian Ocean** makes it a key maritime power.

Correct Answer: C. Helicase

**Helicase** is the enzyme that **breaks the hydrogen bonds** between complementary base pairs and **unwinds the DNA double helix** at the replication fork. **DNA Polymerase** then synthesises new DNA strands in the 5'→3' direction. **Primase** lays down RNA primers needed by DNA Polymerase, and **Ligase** joins the **Okazaki fragments** on the lagging strand. The entire process of **semi-conservative replication** was proven by **Meselson and Stahl in 1958**.

Correct Answer: C. Bombay Session (1942)

The **Quit India Movement** was launched by Mahatma Gandhi at the **Bombay Session (August 1942)** of the All India Congress Committee at **Gowalia Tank Maidan** (now August Kranti Maidan). Gandhi gave the call of **'Do or Die'** (Karo ya Maro), demanding an end to British rule. Within hours, the entire Congress leadership was arrested; the leaderless movement turned violent in some areas, with **parallel governments** (Satara, Ballia, Midnapore) established by local leaders.

Correct Answer: A. 343 m/s

The speed of sound in **dry air at 20°C (293 K)** is approximately **343 m/s (1,235 km/h or Mach 1)**. Sound travels as a **longitudinal compression wave**, and its speed depends on the **medium's elasticity and density** — it travels faster in liquids (~1484 m/s in water) and solids (~5960 m/s in steel). Sound speed increases by approximately **0.6 m/s per °C** rise in temperature, as higher temperature increases molecular kinetic energy.

Correct Answer: C. Africa, Australia and South America

The **Tropic of Capricorn** (23.5°S latitude) passes through **South America** (Brazil, Chile, Paraguay), **Africa** (Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar), and **Australia**. It marks the southernmost latitude where the Sun is directly overhead, occurring at the **December solstice (Winter Solstice for Northern Hemisphere)**. The Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N) passes through India (8 states), China, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Egypt, and the Bahamas.

Correct Answer: B. Present but flexible, with functional overlaps between organs

India follows a **flexible doctrine of separation of powers** — unlike the US, India does not maintain **watertight compartments** between the executive, legislature, and judiciary. For example, the **Council of Ministers** is drawn from Parliament, **President/Governors** exercise both executive and legislative functions, and the **Supreme Court** can issue writs. The doctrine is implicit in the Constitution but was recognised as a **Basic Structure** feature in the **Kesavananda Bharati case (1973)**.

Correct Answer: B. Guru Arjan Dev

**Guru Arjan Dev** (5th Sikh Guru, 1563-1606) compiled the **Adi Granth in 1604** at the **Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib), Amritsar**, which he also built. It contains compositions of the first five Gurus, the 9th Guru, and medieval saints including **Kabir, Namdev, Raidas and Farid**. **Guru Gobind Singh** (10th Guru) later added compositions of the 9th Guru (Guru Tegh Bahadur) and decreed the Granth as the **eternal Guru**, hence renamed **Guru Granth Sahib**.

Correct Answer: C. Brahmaputra

The **Teesta River** originates from the **Teesta Khangse glacier** in Sikkim, flows through Sikkim and West Bengal (Darjeeling district), and joins the **Brahmaputra (Jamuna) river** in **Bangladesh**. It is a major **Himalayan river** and is the subject of a long-standing **water-sharing dispute between India and Bangladesh**. The Teesta is crucial for irrigation in North Bengal and is significant for hydropower projects in **Sikkim**.

Correct Answer: C. Pressure

The **Pascal (Pa)** is the **SI unit of pressure**, defined as one **Newton per square metre (N/m²)**, named after **Blaise Pascal** who formulated Pascal's Law. Standard atmospheric pressure is **101,325 Pa** (approximately 1 atm). Pressure is a **scalar quantity** (magnitude only, no direction), unlike force which is a vector. The Pascal is also used to measure **stress, Young's modulus, and ultimate tensile strength** in materials science.

Correct Answer: B. A three-tier federal structure with a weak centre

The **Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)** proposed a **three-tier federal structure**: the Union (handling defence, foreign affairs, communications), **Groups of provinces** (for regional coordination), and **individual provinces** with maximum autonomy. It aimed to keep India **united** while accommodating Muslim League demands through provincial groupings. The plan was ultimately rejected as both Congress and the Muslim League interpreted its provisions differently, leading to the **Mountbatten Plan (1947)** and partition.

Correct Answer: B. Electronic locks that prevent unauthorised nuclear use

**Permissive Action Links (PALs)** are electronic combination locks installed in nuclear weapons to **prevent unauthorised arming and detonation**. They require correct **electronic codes** from authorised personnel before the weapon can be armed. As part of India's **nuclear command authority**, the **Political Council** (headed by PM) has the authority to use nuclear weapons, ensuring **civilian control over nuclear assets** in line with India's credible minimum deterrence posture.

Correct Answer: B. Strike down laws that violate the Constitution

**Judicial Review** empowers the Supreme Court (and High Courts) to examine the **constitutionality of legislative and executive actions** and to **strike down laws** that violate the Constitution. In India, judicial review is derived from **Articles 13, 32, and 226**, though the term is not explicitly mentioned. Unlike the US model (which is very broad), India's judicial review covers **legislative competence, fundamental rights violations, and constitutional provisions** — it was reaffirmed as a **Basic Structure** element in the Kesavananda Bharati case.