1. Which of the following is the most likely reason behind the rising demand for herbicides in India’s crop protection market?
a) Increase in fungal infections among major crops
b) Surge in insecticide-resistant pests
c) Shortage of rural labor and rising manual weeding costs
d) Decline in herbicide prices due to overproduction
Answer: c) Shortage of rural labor and rising manual weeding costs
Manual weeding is time-consuming
Labour wages have risen significantly
During peak weeding seasons, labor is often unavailable, causing productivity loss.
As a result, herbicides have become a more efficient substitute, saving time (only 1–2 hours/acre) and reducing dependency on labor — much like farm mechanization.
2. Which of the following best defines a cloudburst?
a) When an area receives more than 100 mm of rainfall in a single day.
b) When 100–250 mm/hour of rain falls over just 1 sq km.
c) When it rains continuously for three days.
d) When coastal areas receive intense rainfall.
Answer: b) When 100–250 mm/hour of rain falls over just 1 sq km.
According to a 2023 study by IIT Jammu and the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), a cloudburst is defined as an extremely localized and intense weather event, where 100–250 mm of rainfall occurs within an hour over an area as small as 1 square kilometer.
This is one of the most dangerous and sudden forms of extreme weather, usually occurring in mountainous regions due to cumulonimbus clouds, orographic lifting, and convective currents.
3. In which inscription of Emperor Ashoka is the word "Jambudweep" mentioned for the whole Indian subcontinent?
a) Bodh Gaya Inscription
b) Kandahar Inscription
c) Sasaram Minor Rock Edict
d) Delhi Inscription
Answer: c) Sasaram Minor Rock Edict
In one of his inscriptions, the Sasaram Minor Rock Edict, Ashoka used the word "Jambudweep" to refer to the entire Indian subcontinent. This term, in ancient Indian geography, denoted the large landmass covering present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
4. A potential Nickel–Copper–Platinum Group Elements (Ni–Cu–PGE) mineral zone has recently been discovered in which region?
a) Singhbhum Belt, Jharkhand
b) Bhalukona–Jamnidih Block, Chhattisgarh
c) Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka
d) Zawar Belt, Rajasthan
Answer: b) Bhalukona–Jamnidih Block, Chhattisgarh
The Bhalukona–Jamnidih block in Mahasamund district, Chhattisgarh—about 70 km from Raipur—has been identified as a potential zone for Nickel–Copper–Platinum Group Elements (Ni–Cu–PGE) mineralisation. It lies in the Neo-Archaean Sonakhan Greenstone Belt of the Bastar Craton.
5. Where is the Vantara Zoo (wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center) located?
a) Chennai
b) Bhopal
c) Gujarat
d) Ranchi
Answer: c) Gujarat
Vantara is a wildlife rescue, care, and rehabilitation centre established by the Reliance Foundation, located in Motikhavdi village, in the Jamnagar district of Gujarat, India.
It spans approximately 3,500 acres it is one of India's largest wildlife conservation initiatives, providing safe and natural habitats for rescued and endangered animals.
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