25 September 2025 · Shift 1

Humayun's Tomb Humayun's Tomb at Delhi, built in 1570, was the first great Mughal garden tomb. Its high central dome, char-bagh layout and iwan gateway were carried forward at Agra. The Taj Mahal is therefore often called its refined successor. Hence option (d).

Stimulants Stimulants act on the central nervous system. They increase alertness, reduce the sense of fatigue and raise heart rate. Anabolic agents build muscle, while beta blockers slow the heart and steady the hands. Hence option (a).

Dyarchy 1919 The Act of 1919 divided provincial subjects into transferred and reserved lists. Transferred subjects went to Indian ministers, reserved ones stayed with the Governor. The Act of 1935 abolished provincial dyarchy and introduced it at the Centre instead. Hence option (d).

Witness protection The BNSS allows evidence to be recorded through video conferencing. For vulnerable witnesses the identity may also be shielded from the accused. Jury trials were abolished in India long ago, so option (b) is not possible. Hence option (a).

Buddhist Councils The First Council was held at Rajagriha under Ajatashatru, soon after the Buddha’s death. The Second was at Vaishali, the Third at Pataliputra under Ashoka and the Fourth in Kashmir under Kanishka. So options (a), (b) and (c) all mismatch the venue. Hence option (d).

Ghudlia During Gangaur, girls carry a decorated earthen pot pierced with holes. A lamp is lit inside it, and the pot is called Ghudlia. They move from house to house singing Ghudlia songs. Hence option (a).

Gandhara art (A–R) Gandhara Buddhas do show wavy curly hair, sharp features and a halo — A is true. The region lay on the route of Greek and Roman contact after Alexander — R is true. That contact is precisely why the sculptures took on such traits, so R explains A. Hence option (a).

Suktas The Rigveda is arranged in ten mandalas. Each mandala is divided into suktas, and each sukta into individual richas (verses). There are 1,028 suktas in all. Hence option (b).

Hockey rules A goal in hockey counts only from inside the shooting circle — Statement 1 correct. At a penalty corner the ball is pushed from the back line and must be stopped outside the circle before a shot — Statement 2 correct. A penalty stroke taken as a push, flick or scoop may be raised to any height — Statement 3 correct. All three — option (d).

Chitpavan Brahmanas The office of Peshwa grew steadily after Shivaji’s death. Balaji Vishwanath, a Chitpavan Brahmana, made it hereditary in 1713. His family then held real power while the Chhatrapati became titular. Hence option (a).

Murlikant Petkar Murlikant Petkar won gold in the 50 m freestyle swimming at Heidelberg in 1972. It was India’s first-ever Paralympic medal, and he set a world record in the process. The other three won their medals much later, so their years are wrong as given. Hence option (d).

Why I am a Hindu Why I am a Hindu (2018) was written by Shashi Tharoor. It discusses Hindu philosophy and distinguishes it from political Hindutva. His other works include The Great Indian Novel and An Era of Darkness. Hence option (a).

Fraternity Fraternity is one of the three ideals of the Preamble, along with liberty and equality. The book treats it both as a constitutional norm and as a human need that holds a democracy together. It is not a study of federalism or of economic inequality. Hence option (d).

First ISL match The first ISL match was played on 12 October 2014 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Atlético de Kolkata beat Mumbai City FC 3-0. Eight teams took part in that opening season. Hence option (d).

Special Category State Special Category State status finds no mention in the Constitution. It was introduced in 1969 on the Fifth Finance Commission’s advice and granted by the National Development Council. The Gadgil formula laid down criteria such as hilly terrain, low population density and strategic borders. Hence option (a).

Concave mirror at C At the centre of curvature the image also forms at C. It is real, inverted and exactly the same size as the object. A concave mirror gives a virtual, erect, enlarged image only when the object is between the pole and the focus. Hence option (a).

Law of demand The law of demand states an inverse relation between price and quantity demanded. It holds only under the assumption of ceteris paribus — all other factors unchanged. That is why the demand curve slopes downward. Hence option (d).

Revenue receipts (A–R) Revenue receipts neither create a liability nor reduce an asset — A is true. They come mainly from taxes, fees, fines, dividends and interest — R is true. It is precisely because they are earned income rather than borrowings that no repayment arises, so R explains A. Hence option (a).

Mahalanobis P.C. Mahalanobis was a statistician and founder of the Indian Statistical Institute. His two-sector and four-sector models formed the base of the Second Five-Year Plan. He is called the architect of Indian planning. Hence option (c).

CCPI publishers The CCPI is published by Germanwatch together with the NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network International. It rates countries on emissions, renewable energy, energy use and climate policy. India has ranked among the top ten in recent editions. Hence option (d).

Alluri Sitarama Raju (A–R) Alluri Sitarama Raju led the Rampa Rebellion of 1922-24 in the Godavari hills — A is true. The Madras Forest Act had barred the tribals from podu cultivation and from using forest produce — R is true. That grievance is what set off the revolt, so R explains A. Hence option (a).

Aruna Asaf Ali On 9 August 1942 Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted the flag at the Gowalia Tank maidan in Bombay. With the senior leaders arrested, the act made her the face of the Quit India Movement. Sarojini Naidu was India’s first woman Governor and Lakshmi Sahgal led the Rani Jhansi Regiment. Hence option (a).

Mahalanobis model The model held that long-run growth depends on the capacity to produce machines. So the Second Plan put its investment into capital goods and heavy industry. Steel plants at Bhilai, Rourkela and Durgapur came out of this thinking. Hence option (b).

Tippani Tippani comes from the Chorwad region of Saurashtra in Gujarat. It grew out of the work of women labourers who beat the floor with long sticks to harden it. That rhythmic beating became a dance performed at weddings and festivals. Hence option (a).

New Economic Policy The 1991 measures are together called the New Economic Policy. They are summed up as LPG — liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. They followed a severe balance-of-payments crisis. Hence option (a).