13 September 2025 · Shift 3

Ashokan pillar sites Check each pair: Sarnath is in Uttar Pradesh (not MP); Sanchi is in Madhya Pradesh (not UP); Amaravati is in Andhra Pradesh. Lauriya Nandangarh, in the West Champaran district of Bihar, is famous for its well-preserved Ashokan pillar with a lion capital. That is the only correctly matched pair. Hence option (b).

Nyokum — meaning of Kum Nyokum is the major festival of the Nyishi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. In the name, 'Nyok' means land (earth) and 'Kum' means collectiveness or togetherness. The festival thus celebrates collective prosperity of the land and its people. Hence option (d).

Raga jaati — six notes In classical music, ragas are classified by the number of notes (swaras) they use. Audav = 5 notes, Shadav = 6 notes, Sampoorna = 7 notes. 'Shadav' comes from 'shat' — six. Hence option (b).

Cricket dismissals Under the Laws of Cricket, 'Hit the ball twice' is a valid mode of dismissal when the second hit is INTENTIONAL (not to protect the wicket). 'Retired Out' needs the opposing captain's consent for the batter to resume — not automatic, not only the umpire. 'Obstructing the Field' requires a WILFUL act, so it cannot be accidental. Hence option (d).

Hockey — 1932 Olympics The 24-1 rout of the USA happened at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics — still one of the biggest wins in Olympic hockey. In that match Roop Singh scored 10 goals, while his elder brother Dhyan Chand scored 8. India thus secured its second consecutive Olympic gold. Hence option (d).

BRICS 2021 — startups India held the BRICS Presidency in 2021. To connect the startup ecosystems of the five member nations, India launched the BRICS Startup Forum. It provides a platform for startups, incubators and investors of member countries to network and innovate together. Hence option (a).

Neeraj Chopra book The book traces Neeraj Chopra’s journey — his training, mindset and the obstacles on the way to his historic Olympic javelin gold — Statement 1 is correct. It was written by a sports journalist/author, not by his former Olympian coach — Statement 2 is wrong. So only the first statement stands. Hence option (a).

Natural levees A natural levee is a raised bank running along the sides of a river channel. When a river floods, the water slows immediately beside the channel and drops its coarsest sediment right there. Repeated floods build these deposits into ridges — so levees belong to the floodplains of large rivers. Hence option (c).

2023 Intercontinental Cup The 2023 Hero Intercontinental Cup final was played on 18 June 2023 at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar (Odisha). India beat Lebanon 2-0 — Sunil Chhetri scored in the 46th minute and Lallianzuala Chhangte in the 66th. So the venue that makes the statement correct is Bhubaneswar. Hence option (b).

Padma Shri 2025 — Tangaliya Tangaliya is a 700-year-old handwoven textile art of the Dangasia community of Gujarat, known for its raised dot (daana) designs. Lavjibhai Parmar, a master weaver of this community, was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025. He is recognised for preserving and promoting this rare weave. Hence option (c).

Wind erosion landforms Wind carrying sand erodes rocks most strongly near the ground — this carves mushroom rocks (narrow base, wide top). Prolonged wind erosion also leaves flat-topped residual hills (mesa/butte-like tablelands) in deserts. Isolated pillars and pedestals are likewise remnants left standing after the softer rock around them is worn away. All three are wind-erosion features — option (d).

SpaDeX docking SpaDeX was launched by PSLV-C60 on 30 December 2024 with two small satellites, Chaser and Target. ISRO successfully docked the two satellites in orbit on 16 January 2025. With this, India became the fourth country (after USA, Russia and China) to master in-space docking. Hence option (a).

Coal — Damodar Valley The North-Eastern Plateau here means the Chotanagpur Plateau region (Jharkhand and its surroundings). Its Gondwana coalfields — Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj — lie along the Damodar river. That is why the Damodar Valley is called the coal store-house of India. Hence option (c).

All-India Service — Article 312 Article 312 governs the creation of new All-India Services. The Rajya Sabha — as the council representing the States — must first pass a resolution by a two-thirds majority declaring it necessary in the national interest. Only then can Parliament create the service by law (the IAS and IPS already exist; the Indian Forest Service was created this way in 1966). Hence option (c).

Third Launch Pad (A–R) The Union Cabinet approved a Third Launch Pad at Sriharikota in January 2025 — A is true. The two existing pads cannot handle the planned rise in launches, and the upcoming NGLV needs a bigger, dedicated pad — R is true. R states exactly WHY the TLP is being built. Hence option (a).

Money Bill — sequence A Money Bill can be introduced ONLY in the Lok Sabha (Article 109), on the President’s recommendation — so A comes first. The Lok Sabha passes it (B), and only then is it sent to the Rajya Sabha, which can merely recommend changes within 14 days (C). Finally the Bill goes to the President for assent (D). Order A-B-C-D — option (a).

BNSS — Section 105 The BNSS, 2023 replaces the CrPC and pushes for technology in policing. Section 105 of the BNSS makes audio-video recording of search and seizure proceedings compulsory (preferably by mobile phone). The recording must then be forwarded to the Magistrate — this improves transparency and evidence quality. Hence option (b).

Dak Karmayogi 'Dak Karmayogi' was launched in 2022 under the Mission Karmayogi vision. It is an e-learning portal to upskill Gramin Dak Sevaks and departmental postal employees. It was developed and launched by the Department of Posts (Ministry of Communications). Hence option (c).

Energy Transition Index 2025 Renewables like solar and wind are variable — the grid must flex to absorb them. The WEF’s Energy Transition Index 2025 identifies modern, digitalized grids and energy storage as the key enablers of this flexibility. The other options work against a clean-energy transition. Hence option (c).

Dollu Kunitha — Karnataka 'Dollu' is a large drum and 'Kunitha' means dance in Kannada. Dollu Kunitha is performed by the Kuruba community of Karnataka, traditionally in praise of Lord Beereshwara. Rows of dancers beat large drums slung around their necks in powerful rhythm. Hence option (c).

Green Credit Programme The Green Credit Programme rewards voluntary environment-positive actions with tradeable green credits. Activities like tree plantation on degraded land, water conservation and waste management earn credits. Its aim is environmental restoration through market-style incentives. Hence option (a).

Fertilizer industry Statement 1 is wrong — India has no commercial potash reserves; the entire requirement is imported. Statement 2 is correct — urea dominates nitrogenous fertilizer production; Statement 3 is correct — the Green Revolution triggered a big jump in fertilizer output. Statement 4 is wrong — Gujarat is one of India’s LARGEST fertilizer producers (GSFC, GNFC, IFFCO-Kalol). So only 2 and 3 are correct — option (b).

Carbon markets Afforestation, renewable-energy and similar projects that cut or absorb emissions can earn carbon credits — Statement 1 is correct. Under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (2023), India has also provided an offset/voluntary mechanism for domestic entities — Statement 2 is correct. The framework runs under the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022 — not the Income Tax Act — Statement 3 is wrong. Hence only 1 and 2 — option (a).

Jawa festival — symbolism Jawa is celebrated alongside the Karma festival in Jharkhand’s tribal tradition. Unmarried girls keep Jawa baskets and offer green melons as part of the ritual. The offering symbolically expresses the wish for a son and fertility, linked to the festival’s harvest-fertility theme. Hence option (c).

Inter-State Council The Inter-State Council draws its existence from Article 263, under which the President established it in 1990 — it is a constitutional body — Statement 1 is correct. The Council is purely advisory: it investigates and RECOMMENDS on Centre-State matters. Its recommendations are not binding on the Union or the States — Statement 2 is wrong. Hence Only 1 — option (a).