15 September 2025 · Shift 2

Konark wheels — sundials The 24 wheels of the Konark chariot (13th c., Narasimhadeva I) work as SUNDIALS. Their eight spokes mark the prahars of the day; the wheels together stand for the 24 hours. So the wheels represent divisions of time. Hence option (a).

Jawa festival Alongside Karam, unmarried tribal girls celebrate JAWA — they grow seedlings in baskets and worship Karam Devta. It symbolises fertility, prosperity and sisterhood. Sohrai is the post-harvest cattle festival; Sarhul the spring festival. Hence option (b).

Rajasthani folk music Rajasthani music (Manganiyar, Langa, Maand) is FOLK music of the desert. Its songs speak of rains, wells, camels, love and legends of heroes like Dhola-Maru. It is not confined to temples or classical ragas. Hence option (b).

Handball foul Handball rules forbid pulling, hitting or punching the ball out of an opponent’s hands. Such play gives a free throw or penalty. Catching, dribbling and blocking with the body above the knee are all legal. Hence option (b).

Board of Control (1784) Pitt's India Act (1784) created a six-member Board of Control in London. It supervised and directed the Company’s civil, military and revenue affairs — the political side of governance. The Court of Directors kept only commercial matters (dual control). Hence option (b).

Norman Pritchard 1900 Norman Pritchard, an Anglo-Indian athlete from Calcutta, won two silvers at Paris 1900. They came in the 200 m sprint and 200 m hurdles. K.D. Jadhav (1952 wrestling bronze) was independent India’s first individual medallist. Hence option (a).

Taekwon-Do terms Tae = to strike with the FOOT (iii); Kwon = to strike with the FIST/hand (ii). Do = the way or discipline (i). Dojang = the training hall (iv). So 1-iii, 2-ii, 3-i, 4-iv — option (a).

Trilateral Highway The India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway runs about 1,400 km from Moreh (Manipur) to Mae Sot (Thailand) via Myanmar. It is a flagship of India’s Act East Policy. It links India by road to ASEAN. Hence option (b).

'Why Bharat Matters' External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's 'Why Bharat Matters' (2024) discusses India’s foreign policy and rising global role. It argues why a culturally confident, economically strong Bharat matters to the world. It even draws lessons from the Ramayana for diplomacy. Hence option (b).

Subroto Cup — Delhi The Subroto Cup, started in 1960, is named after Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee. It is organised by the Indian Air Force and held in New Delhi. It is India’s premier school football tournament. Hence option (a).

Modi — Namibia honour PM Narendra Modi visited Namibia on 9 July 2025. He was conferred the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis — Namibia’s highest civilian award. It was presented by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Hence option (b).

Lohit — Brahmaputra The Lohit rises in eastern Tibet and enters Arunachal Pradesh. Near Sadiya it joins the Dibang and the Siang to form the Brahmaputra. So it is a major tributary of the Brahmaputra. Hence option (a).

LRA — NASA The Vikram lander carried a small Laser Retroreflector Array from NASA. It lets orbiting spacecraft range the lander precisely by laser. NASA’s LRO successfully pinged it in December 2023. Hence option (b).

Blood flow in heart Deoxygenated blood enters the RIGHT ATRIUM, passes to the RIGHT VENTRICLE and is pumped to the lungs. Oxygenated blood returns to the LEFT ATRIUM, then the LEFT VENTRICLE pumps it to the body. So RA → RV → LA → LV. Hence option (b).

Article 254(2) Article 254(2): a State law on a Concurrent subject that gets Presidential assent prevails in that State over the earlier Union law — Statement 1 correct. The proviso lets Parliament later amend, vary or repeal that State law — Statement 2 correct. Both describe the actual constitutional scheme. Hence Both 1 and 2 — option (d).

Sound — air to water Frequency is fixed by the SOURCE and never changes on crossing a medium. Sound is faster in water (~1480 m/s vs 340 m/s), so v = fλ makes the wavelength longer. Only the wavelength (and speed) change. Hence option (b).

UCC — Article 44 Article 44 says the State shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for citizens. Article 44 lies in Part IV — the Directive Principles of State Policy. So it is a directive, not an enforceable right. Hence option (b).

Har Khet Ko Pani PMKSY (2015) aims to expand irrigation coverage and improve water-use efficiency. Its mottos are "Har Khet Ko Pani" and "Per Drop More Crop". PKVY is organic farming; PM-KISAN is income support. Hence option (b).

Delhi AQI (A–R) Delhi does record among the highest AQI values — vehicles, industry, stubble burning, dust — A is true. But Delhi sits on the Indo-Gangetic plain, not in a Himalaya-ringed basin — R is false. Winter inversions and calm winds, not mountains, trap its pollution. Hence option (d).

Coral reefs of India India’s four major reef areas: Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep (atolls) and Andaman & Nicobar (fringing reefs). Reefs need clear, warm, shallow water — muddy deltas and estuaries lack them. Deep trenches are far too dark and cold. Hence option (b).

Inorganic chemicals (A–R) Inorganic chemicals are made across India — Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal lead — so A is false. Sulphuric acid (fertilisers) and soda ash (glass, detergents) are indeed key inputs — R is true. Only R holds. Hence option (c).

Panthi dance Panthi is the devotional dance of the Satnami community of Chhattisgarh, performed on Guru Ghasidas Jayanti. Its songs and steps carry the teachings of Ghasidas’s Amritvani — Statement 1 correct. No masks representing Satpurush are used — Statement 2 wrong. Hence Only 1 — option (b).

Article 1 Article 1 declares India, that is Bharat, a Union of States. It states that the States and Union Territories are as specified in the First Schedule. Article 3 deals with forming new States; Article 239 with administration of UTs. Hence option (b).

Delegated legislation Delegated (subordinate) legislation = rules and regulations made by executive/administrative bodies under powers given by the legislature — Statement 1 correct. Courts can strike it down if it exceeds the parent Act or violates the Constitution — Statement 2 wrong. So only the first is right. Hence Only 1 — option (b).

Thermosphere heating The thermosphere (80–600 km) absorbs the Sun’s extreme UV and X-rays. During solar storms this radiation surges, so the sparse gas heats to over 1500 °C. There are no clouds or convection at that height. Hence option (a).