22 September 2025 · Shift 2

Sulh-i-Kul Sulh-i-Kul literally means "peace with all". Akbar used it to promote religious harmony, equality and justice among all communities. He abolished the jizya and set up the Ibadat Khana for interfaith debate. Hence option (b).

Smallest island nation The Maldives covers about 300 sq km — the smallest of the four. Seychelles is around 455 sq km and Mauritius about 2,040 sq km. Sri Lanka is by far the largest at over 65,000 sq km. Hence option (a).

AMRUT AMRUT, launched in 2015, focuses on basic urban services. Its priority areas are water supply, sewerage, septage management, storm-water drains, urban transport and green spaces. Smart Cities Mission targets area-based development instead. Hence option (c).

Nagara — Shikhara In Nagara temples the curved tower over the sanctum is the shikhara. It is crowned by the amalaka and the kalasha. The vimana and gopuram belong to the Dravida style of the south. Hence option (a).

E-FIR under BNSS The BNSS allows an FIR to be registered electronically for certain offences. It also brought in Zero FIR, letting a complaint be filed at any police station regardless of jurisdiction. The FIR system itself has not been replaced. Hence option (c).

Pran Pratishtha 2024 Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Pran Pratishtha on 22 January 2024. The ceremony consecrated the idol of Ram Lalla in the new temple at Ayodhya. The temple is built in the Nagara style. Hence option (c).

Kaleshwaram project Kaleshwaram was inaugurated in Telangana in 2019 — Statement 1 correct. It is described as the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project — Statement 2 correct. It lies on the GODAVARI, not the Krishna — Statement 3 wrong. Hence 1 and 2 only — option (a).

BWhw climate In Koppen’s scheme BW stands for a hot desert climate. In India this belt covers western Rajasthan — the Thar desert. It has very low rainfall and a dry winter, marked by the small w. Hence option (c).

Mopin — Popir Mopin is the harvest and prosperity festival of the Galo tribe, held in April. Women perform the Popir dance while the crowd smears rice powder on one another. Ponung belongs to the Adi tribe and Bihu to Assam. Hence option (c).

Kalibangan ploughed field Kalibangan in Rajasthan yielded the world’s earliest known ploughed field. The criss-cross furrows show two crops were grown together. Its name means "black bangles", after the bangle pieces found there. Hence option (b).

Badminton fault Both feet must stay inside the service court and not touch any line while serving. Touching or stepping on the line during the serve is a service fault. A shuttle that clips the net and still lands in the correct box is legal. Hence option (d).

GoI Act 1858 The Act of 1858 ended Company rule and transferred power to the Crown. It abolished the dual system by doing away with the Board of Control and the Court of Directors. In their place came the Secretary of State for India and his Council. Hence option (d).

London 2012 India won 6 medals at London 2012 against 3 at Beijing 2008 — exactly double, so Statement 1 is correct. Saina Nehwal (badminton) and M.C. Mary Kom (boxing) both won bronze — the first time two Indian women took medals at a single Games — Statement 2 correct. Sushil Kumar and Vijay Kumar won silver at the same Games. Hence Both — option (c).

"India for Indians" Chittaranjan Das, known as Deshbandhu, was a leader of the Swaraj Party. His book argues for Indian self-rule and national self-respect during the freedom struggle. He was also the defence counsel in the Alipore bomb case. Hence option (b).

Hockey India League 2024-25 The women’s league was held at Ranchi and Rourkela in January 2025 — Statement 1 correct. Odisha Warriors beat JSW Soorma Hockey Club in the final to lift the title — Statement 2 correct. It marked the revival of the Hockey India League after several years. Hence Both — option (c).

Article 164 Article 164 deals with the appointment and responsibility of state ministers. It says the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly. Article 75 lays down the same rule at the Union level. Hence option (d).

SDSC-SHAR (A–R) SDSC-SHAR at Sriharikota is indeed ISRO’s main launch site — A is correct. It has multiple launch pads plus vehicle assembly, solid propellant and testing facilities — R is correct. Those very facilities are why it serves as the primary spaceport, so R explains A. Hence option (a).

Article 352 effect During a National Emergency the federal structure turns unitary in effect. Parliament gains the power to make laws on any subject of the State List. The state legislatures are NOT dissolved — they continue to function. Hence option (c).

Mass defect A small part of the mass disappears during fission — the mass defect. That lost mass is converted into energy according to E = mc². So the products together weigh less than the reactants. Hence option (d).

Oriah — Wancho Oriah is the main spring festival of the Wancho tribe of Longding district. It features their war dance along with community feasting and rice-beer offerings. Mopin belongs to the Galo, Si-Donyi to the Tagin and Reh to the Idu Mishmi. Hence option (a).

Monetary system Free convertibility and a stable rate are what give people confidence in a currency — Statement 1 correct. The international monetary system was set up to govern EXCHANGE between countries and settle payments, not to control internal policy — Statement 2 wrong. Domestic fiscal and monetary policy remains a sovereign matter. Hence Only 1 — option (b).

EoDB discontinued (A–R) The World Bank discontinued the report in September 2021 — A is true. An internal audit had found irregularities in the data for some countries — R is true. Those very findings caused the discontinuation, so R explains A. Hence option (a).

Licence Raj Under the Licence Raj, established firms could take out licences they never used. This pre-empted capacity and kept new rivals out of the market. So the system entrenched, rather than curbed, big-business dominance. Hence option (b).

Big Cat Alliance India launched the alliance in 2023 and hosts its secretariat — Statement 1 correct. It promotes the exchange of research, expertise and best practice among member countries — Statement 3 correct. It covers SEVEN big cats — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah — not six — Statement 2 wrong. Hence 1 and 3 — option (a).

Disinvestment Disinvestment means the government sells a part of its shareholding in a PSU. It may be a minority sale, which keeps control, or a strategic sale, which transfers it. The enterprise itself continues to run — it is not shut down. Hence option (b).