18 September 2025 · Shift 2

Nuakhai — Maa Samaleswari Nuakhai is the harvest festival of western Odisha — Sambalpur, Balangir, Bargarh and Kalahandi. The word means "new food"; the first grain is offered to Maa Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Sambalpur. Only after the offering do families eat the new rice. Hence option (c).

Temple styles Vesara blends Nagara and Dravida styles and grew in the Deccan under the Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas ✓. Rekha-Deul is the curvilinear spire of Odisha ✓ and Bhumija flourished in the Malwa region ✓. Kalinga architecture belongs to ODISHA, not Tamil Nadu ✗. Hence 1, 2 & 3 only — option (d).

Gupta officials Gramika (or Gramadhyaksha) headed the village administration — correctly matched. Talavataka was the village accountant, not a military paymaster. Prathamakulika headed the guild of artisans, and Pustapala kept LAND records rather than revenue accounts as described. Hence option (a).

Domkach — Jharkhand Domkach is sung mainly by women of Jharkhand during weddings and social gatherings. Its songs describe everyday life and strengthen community bonds, accompanied by group dance. Baul belongs to Bengal, Lavani to Maharashtra and Bhavai to Gujarat. Hence option (c).

Badminton singles width A badminton court is 13.40 m long for both singles and doubles. Its width is 6.10 m for doubles but only 5.18 m for SINGLES. The side tramlines are excluded in singles play. Hence option (b).

Gangaikonda Cholapuram Rajendra Chola I built the Brihadisvara temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram around 1035 CE. He founded the new capital after his victorious northern campaign to the Ganga. His father Rajaraja I had built the Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur. Hence option (d).

Charter Act 1793 The Charter Act of 1793 began the era of rule by LAW rather than personal discretion. It laid down that regulations be codified and made courts responsible for interpreting them — Statement II is true. Statement I therefore misstates the Act, which did bring structural change. Hence Only II — option (b).

High jump specifications World Athletics requires the high-jump runway to be at least 15 m long (25 m at major meets) — Statement 1 correct. The crossbar is about 30 mm (3 cm) in diameter, not 15–20 cm — Statement 2 wrong. A bar of 15 cm thickness would be impossible to clear. Hence Only 1 — option (a).

India-Australia ECTA ECTA came into force in December 2022 and cut tariffs on a large share of trade. Indian exports to Australia grew by roughly 14% in 2022-24, with new categories such as textiles, gems and engineering goods. It contains no defence-procurement clause and did not remove all agricultural tariffs. Hence option (c).

'An Area of Darkness' An Area of Darkness (1964) is V. S. Naipaul’s account of his first visit to India. It is the first of his India trilogy, with India: A Wounded Civilization and India: A Million Mutinies Now. Naipaul won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001. Hence option (a).

Fencing 2022 — bronze Prachi Lohan won bronze in the Women’s Cadet Épée at the 2022 Asian Junior & Cadet Championships. The championships were held in Al Ain, UAE. Bhavani Devi is a senior sabre fencer and India’s first Olympic fencer. Hence option (d).

Khelo India Youth Games 2023 The Khelo India Youth Games 2023 were held in Madhya Pradesh (chiefly Bhopal and other cities). The meet ran for 13 days and used 15 venues across the host state. It featured over 25 disciplines, including demonstration sports, with far more than 4,000 athletes. Hence option (c).

Zonal Councils The five Zonal Councils were set up by the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. The Union Home Minister is their EX-OFFICIO chairman — the post comes with the office. The Chief Ministers of the member states act as vice-chairmen by rotation. Hence option (d).

Antibodies IgG makes up about 75–80% of serum antibodies — the most abundant class ✓. IgE binds to mast cells and drives allergic and hypersensitivity reactions ✓. IgA is the main antibody of mucosal secretions — saliva, tears and breast milk ✓. All three are correct — option (d).

Centre-State chronology The Sarkaria Commission (set up 1983) submitted its report in 1988. On its recommendation the Inter-State Council was established in 1990 under Article 263. The Punchhi Commission was constituted later, in 2007. Order C → B → A — option (a).

Tippani — Saurashtra Tippani belongs to the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, especially the Chorwad area. It grew out of women beating lime floors with long wooden sticks called tippani. The rhythmic work turned into a lively group dance. Hence option (c).

Role of government Every economy needs a legal framework in which contracts are honoured and property is protected. Making laws and delivering justice is therefore a universal economic role of government. The other options describe narrow or partial functions. Hence option (c).

Global Peace Index 2025 The Global Peace Index is published annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace. Its 2025 edition records a continued, gradual deterioration in global peacefulness. Rising conflicts and militarisation drive the decline. Hence option (b).

First Industrial Policy The first Industrial Policy Resolution was announced in April 1948. It set up a mixed economy with the State controlling key industries. The next major resolution came in 1956. Hence option (c).

Globalisation (A–R) Post-1991 growth did widen income gaps within India — A is correct. Gains flowed mainly to urban, skilled and English-educated workers in services and IT — R is correct. That concentration of gains is exactly why inequality rose, so R explains A. Hence option (a).

Disinvestment Disinvestment means selling part or all of the government’s stake in a public sector undertaking. It raises revenue and brings private efficiency into these firms. DIPAM handles the process for the Union government. Hence option (b).

National Parks Similipal lies in the Mayurbhanj district of ODISHA — correctly matched. Bandipur is in Karnataka and Vansda in Gujarat. Namdapha is in Arunachal Pradesh, not Nagaland. Hence option (c).

Reasonable classification In State of West Bengal v. Anwar Ali Sarkar (1952) the Supreme Court explained reasonable classification under Article 14. The classification must rest on an intelligible differentia and have a rational nexus with the object of the law. Golaknath and Kesavananda dealt with amending power; Maneka Gandhi with Article 21. Hence option (c).

Folk dances & communities Kalbelia is danced by Rajasthan’s snake-charmer community and is on the UNESCO list ✓. Panthi belongs to the Satnami community of Chhattisgarh and honours Guru Ghasidas ✓. Dangi Nritya comes from the Bhil-origin tribes of the Dang region ✓, and Paika is the martial dance of Odisha’s Khandayat warriors ✓. All four are correct — option (c).

Satellite applications Navigation satellites such as NavIC provide position and timing data, not fire monitoring. Forest fires are tracked by REMOTE SENSING satellites like Resourcesat. The first three pairs are correctly matched. Hence option (d).