Transcript for:
Overview of ANA Academy Prelims 2025

Hello and welcome to ANA Academy, a one-stop destination for the English medium civil services aspirants. Prelims 2025 is over. If you have attempted this test, stay with us and we will take you through all the 100 questions once again and solve them live and explain all the topics related to these questions. If you are preparing for 2026 or beyond, this is an even important session for you because you need to have an idea of what sort of questions UPSC asks in the prelims examination. And if our initiatives whether our plus courses or our free initiatives such as conquer prelims has been of some help to you in your preparation in preparing for the prelims examination, do let us know in the comment section. We have already received a lot of appreciation and love for the conquer prelims initiative. But do let us know in the comment section as well. And on the pattern of conquer prelims, we are coming up with an ambitious conquer mains 2025 program for those who would be writing mains this year. But instead of having this program live on YouTube, we are going to conduct this program exclusively on our platform the anac academy app. I will come up with a detailed video explaining conquer mains tomorrow and I will also tell you the reason why we will be conducting conquer mains on the platform and not on the YouTube channel and if you have gone through the question paper of this year you would have realized or people will tell you that you don't need to memorize facts or river systems or mapping to ace the prelims examination you need a strong foundation conceptual ual clarity and if your foundation is strong, it becomes very easy for you to crack the examination. And if you want to prepare for 2026 or beyond, you can join our foundation course. Go through our website, take a look at the foundation batch for CSE 2026. You can enroll in this batch at 19LE9. You may see a different price being quoted on the website but once you apply this code is English it will automatically unlock the lowest price which is 199. Now let's get started and let's analyze all these 100 questions asked in the prelims examination. Today we'll start with polity and then we will shift to other subjects. In polity we will discuss 14 questions which were asked. Let's look at question number one which is question 51 according to one series. Consider the following statements. Statement number one. Panchiats at the intermediate level exists in all states. To be eligible to be a member of a panchiat at the intermediate level, a person should attain the age of 30 years. The chief minister of estate constitutes a commission to review the financial position of punchads at the intermediate levels and to make recommendations regarding the distribution of net proceeds of taxes. Let's look at the question is asking which of the given statements above are not correct. Panchiats at the intermediate level exists at all states. There shall be constituted panchiats in every state at the village at the intermediate as well at the as the at the district level but panchiats at the intermediate level may not be constituted in a state having population exceeding 20 lakhs. This is the snapshot from my plus course a comprehensive course on Indian polity. So you can easily make out that statement number one is incorrect. Panchchas at the intermediate level exist on all states? No. Because in states where the population is not exceeding 20 lakhs, it is not necessary to create a intermediate level. To be eligible to be a member of panchiad at the intermediate level, a person should attain the age of 30 years. Look at the another proof. Age has to be 21 years. This is the qualification required. And this is something that I mentioned in the class. Whoever is qualified to become an MLA is qualified to become the member of panchiat as well except the age limit which is 25 for an MLA but 21 for the member of a panchiat. So statement two is also incorrect. Statement number three regarding reviewing the financial position of punchads. Powers and functions of state finance commission to re review the status of panchats funds, taxes, fees, making grants and aid. This is the responsibility not of the chief minister. This is the responsibility of the state finance commission which is constituted every 5 years by the governor of that state. So which of the given statements above are not correct? None of these statements are correct? D 1 2 3 is the right answer. Any doubt anyone? Great. Let's look at another question. Consider the following statements about low power and this is what I've been telling my students as well. This is something that I teach in governance and I tell the students that although it is part of governance but then facts related to these constitutional bodies or statutory bodies or regulatory bodies can be asked in the prelims examination. The power of the loal applies to public servants of India but not to the Indian public servants posted outside India. How do we know? Jurisdiction of LPAL includes the prime minister, ministers, members of the parliament, group AB, CD and if you are a member of the Indian foreign service, you're also posted abroad but lopal will have the jurisdiction over you as well. So statement number one, the power of loal applies to public servants of India but not to the Indian public servants posted outside of India. This is incorrect. The chairperson or a member shall not be the member of the parliament or a member of the legislature of any state or union territory and only the chief justice of India whether incumbent or retired has to be its chairperson. What is the answer? The local shall consist of chairperson who is or has been a chief justice of India or who is or has been a judge of the Supreme Court or an eminent person. So this statement that chairperson only the chief justice of India whether retired or incumbent has to be the chairperson this is incorrect right and I've showed you the proof as well. Now look at the third statement. This is where some of you may have confusion. The chairperson or a member shall not be a person of less than 45 years of age on the date of assuming office as the chairperson or member as the case may be. A chairperson or member shall not be look at the third statement less than 45 years of age and this is something that I reiterate I emphasize strictly in my classes look at these provisions look at the qualifications look at these facts can be important for your prelims examination. So the chairperson or a member shall not be less than 45 years of age. Exact statement. The chairperson or a member shall not be a person of less than 45 years of age. The statement is correct. Fourth lal cannot inquire into the allegations of corruption against a sitting prime minister of India. The jurisdiction of Lopal includes the prime minister. But yes there are some matters related to international relations related to atomic energy which are kept outside of the purview of the loal but it does include the jurisdiction includes that of the prime minister. The loal cannot inquire into the allegations of corruption against a sitting prime minister of India. This is incorrect. Which of the statements given above is or are correct? A3 only is the right answer. Any doubts with respect to this question do let me know. No doubts. You have got this correct. Very nice. Let's look at question 66. Consider the following statements with regard to pardoning power of the president of India. Pardoning power under article 72 of the constitution. The exercise of this power by the president of India can be subjected to limited judicial review. This is something that I teach in the class. President acts supreme court can exercise judicial review if the action of the president or the governor is malified which means in bad faith. This is where there can be a judicial review of these pardoning powers of the president as well. So the exercise of this power by the president can be subjected to limited judicial review. Yes. Because what is the explanation? If the exercise of this power is malified on part of the governor or the president, the president can exercise this power without the advice of the central government. This is incorrect. Why? Because president acts on the advice of the cabinet. This is what I tell my students in class and I then make it a specific reference that it is this decision of the council of ministers the cabinet is communicated to the president to the home minister. So what is the answer? The exercise of this power can be subjected to limited judicial review. Yes. Which of these statements are correct? A one only is the right answer. Right. Limited judicial review would mean under narrow terms only when the exercise is malified not more than that. Let's look at another question on the dissolution of the house of the people. The speaker shall not vacate his or her office until immediately before the first meeting of the house of the people after the dissolution. And this is what I say in the classes as well that speaker does not resign when all other members have resigned when the dissolution of Lok Sabha takes place. Speaker resigns when the new Lok Sabha is meeting for the first time. So this statement on the dissolution of the house of the people. The speaker shall not vacate his house office until immediately before the first meeting of the house of the people after dissolution. This is correct. And that is why when we discuss the office of the prom speaker as well. So just when the house of the Lok Sabha is going to be convened a new house is to be convened. The morning itself the speaker of the previous Lok Sabha resigns. According to the provisions of the constitution of India a member of the house of the people on being elected as the speaker resign from his or her political party immediately. This is not correct. Why the speaker? There is an exemption under anti-defectionection law. If the speaker wants to resign after getting elected as the speaker, he will not be disqualified. Which primarily means that there is no express provision in the constitution that the speaker will have to necessarily resign from his political party immediately once he is elected. That is not the case. And look at the current speaker as well. he belongs to the BJP, the ruling political party. The speaker of the house of the people may be removed from his or her office by a resolution of the house of the people passed by majority of all the then members. And this is what I keep telling you. Whenever this term of all the then members is mentioned, it primarily means what? Majority effective majority. And let's see where we have covered this. speaker is elected by simple majority but removed by effective majority. In fact, the grounds of the removal are also not mentioned in the constitution. But if you notice it, you can link it with the current affairs development. For example, the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the members of the opposition tried to remove him from the office and then the deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha rejected it on the grounds that 14-day notice was not provided. So this statement is correct. 1 and 3 P is the right answer. Have you got this correct? Very nice. Let's look at question number 68. Consider the following statements. If any question arises as to whether a member of the house or the people has become subject to disqualification under the 10th schedule of the constitution which is anti-defectionection law, the president's decision in accordance with the opinion of the council of ministers shall be final. This is not the power available with the president. This is the power available with the speaker and that is what we discuss in the classes as well. In fact, this mains based question once a speaker always a speaker. This is the power available with the speaker and not with the president of India. There is no mention of the word political party in the constitution of India. Incorrect. Which of these statements given above are correct? Neither one nor two. D is the right answer. There is no mention of the word political party in the constitution of India. Look at the 10th schedule itself. A member of a house belonging to any political party and in fact if this member of a house who belongs to a political party voluntarily resigns from the political party will be disqualified or violates the whip issued by the political party. The threeline whip as we say it shall be disqualified by the speaker under the provisions of the 10th schedule the anti-defectionection law of the constitute. So statement number one if any question arises the decision will be that of the president. It is incorrect. There is no mention of the word political party in the constitution. There is specifically under the 10 schedule although political party as a term has not been defined but there is a mention of the word political party. So both these statements are incorrect. D neither one nor two is the right answer. National recognized party or state recognized party. This is something that election commission of India decides based on the uh symbols order based on the rules. Any questions till now? Let's look at question number 69. In India, state governments have no power for making rules for grant of concessions in respect of extraction of minor minerals even though such minerals are located in their territories. Statement two, in India, the central government has the power to notify minor minerals under the relevant laws. Have we covered this? There was a landmark judgment of the Supreme Court in July last year and this judgment was delivered by a nine judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court and this verdict was given by the majority of 8 is to one. This is something which is mentioned here on the slide as well where a nine judge bench of the Supreme Court by a majority of 8 is to one there was only one dissenting judge justice Nagaratna who said states have the right to tax minerals and the tax lands bearing minerals. So if the statement number one says in India state governments have no power for making rules for the grant of concessions in respect of extraction of minor minerals even though such minerals are located in their territories. This is incorrect because states have the right. This is what we call this judgment would strengthen fiscal federalism in India. Statement two, in India the central government has the power to notify mined minerals under relevant laws. Statement two is correct and I will tell you how. What is the right answer? Statement one is not correct but statement two is correct. So D becomes the right answer. I have specifically mentioned this that center has the primary authority over regulation of mines and mineral development. We have discussed the act of the parliament as well called the 1956 act mines and minerals development regulation act under which the central government has the power to notify minor minerals. So this is something that we have covered holistically in our UK session. The session where we discuss current affairs of the past month. So what is the right answer? B is the right answer. Just last night I see your old video regarding the Supreme Court verdict of minerals. Thank you. Very good. Let's look at question number 81. With reference to Indian polity, consider the following statements. An ordinance can amend any central act. Yes, because that's the power an ordinance can be promulgated on all those subjects on which the parliament has the power to enact laws. So if it's a central law, an ordinance can be used to amend the central act as well. Right? And we have discussed so many ordinances which we have which have been promulgated last year. An ordinance can abridge a fundamental right. This is incorrect. An ordinance can come into effect from a back date. Yes. Because can we give a retrospective effect to an ordinance? Yes. So 1 and three is the right answer. C is the right answer. Where can an ordinance be used to amend fundamental rights or amend the constitution? This is something that we discuss in the classes. Article 13 clause 2. The state shall not make any law which takes away or abridges the right. And then we mention under article 13 clause 3. What is this law? Law includes an ordinance. That means even by an ordinance you cannot abridge the fundamental right and that is the that is the term which is used here a bridge is the fundamental right a bridge is a fundamental similarly can ordinance be used to promulgate can ordinance be promulgated to amend the constitution specific answer no and fundamental rights are part of the constitution similarly when we discussed ordinance or when we discuss retrospective application of the laws This is something that we cover in article 20 wherein I say a law cannot be passed a criminal law cannot be passed with retrospective effect but civil laws can this is something that even students interact with me during the live classes when I give the answer that civil laws can have retrospective effect so here if the ordinance can an ordinance be given a retrospective effect can it come into effect from a back date if it's related to a civil law 100% yes. What is the right answer? C 1 and 3 is the right answer. Right? Have you got this question right? Very good. Now somebody is saying sir constitutional amendment act is also a central act. No that is separate because article 13 clause 4 specifically talks about an exception. Nothing in this article shall apply to an amendment to the constitution made under article 368. And this is something that that my students would know. Let's look at another question. Consider the following pairs state and description. Uh Pradesh the capital is named after a fort and the state has two national parks. Now this is something that is not part of Indian polity at all. This is Mokes's domain. Right? But let's look at the other statements. Nagalin the state came into existence on the basis of a constitutional amendment act. Now listen to me carefully. Sometimes questions are asked which are directly covered by me in the classes. Sometimes the question would be asked which may not be directly covered in the classes directly that means in the same length but when you look at all the classes and have a bird's eyee view of these classes you will realize okay this is something that I can mark correct for example when we discussed state union and its territory part one of the constitution and there we discuss article 2 article three almost every time the Students would ask me sir if a state can be admitted into the union of India under article two of the constitution why do we always then amend the constitution to give statehood to a particular state and this is something that I discuss in special provisions with respect to some states article 371 talks about special provisions for some states article 371A explicit explicitly talks about Netherland and it was done through a constitutional amendment act in 1962. So this statement the state of Nagaland came into existence on the basis of a constitutional amendment act is correct. Then third one Tripura initially a part C state it became a centrally administered territory with the reorganization of the states in 1956 and later attained the status of a full-fledged state. But how do we remember whether it was part C? This is where I tell you part A territories were those which were previously under the governor general. The big states Madras, Bombay, Kolkata, so on and so forth. Part B would talk about those areas which were previously under which were princely states for example Jammu and Kashmir, Mysore, Hyderabad. Part D there was only one territory and Nikobar. So if Tripura was not a big state such as Bombay and Madras and it was not a princely state then it is under part C. Previously it was directly under the control of the chief commissioner and later on in 1956 became a union territory. Then in 1972 it became a full-fledged state. So Tripura it became a centrally administered territory with the organization of the states in 1956 and attained the status of a full-fledged state ATA although one aspect of Tripura was also a princely state but that's a separate matter altogether and statement one is also correct although it is not related to politic but capital is named after a fort Itanagarita fort and the state has two national parks so all these statements are correct C is the right Sir, right or wrong? Right. With reference to India, consider the following statements. How many of the above were established as per the provisions of the constitution of India? Which primarily means the question is asking which of these bodies given above are constitutional bodies? Interstate council is it a constitutional body? We say it is a non-permanent constitutional body under article 63 of the constitution wherein we say if the president is satisfied he can establish create an interstate council. So it is created as per the provisions of the constitution of India article 263. Correct. National Security Council, it is not a constitutional body. Zonal Council, these are statutory bodies created under the state's Reorganization Act of 1956. So, a only one is the right answer. In fact, we discussed the zonal councils as well. These are statutory bodies. These are not constituted. Let's look at question number 84. The constitution of India explicitly mentions that in certain affairs the governor of a state acts in his or own discretion. Do we not mention this repeatedly that there shall be council of ministers with the chief minister at the head to aid and advise the governor who shall act on the advice except when the governor is required under the constitution to act in his discretion. And if there is a dispute as to what constitutes the discretionary power of the governor and this term discretionary power is not defined in the constitution and this is what leads to politicization of the office of governor. This is the controversial aspect of the office of the governor. The constitution explicitly mentions that in certain spheres although which are these certain spheres we don't know but it does explicitly mention that the governor is required to act in his or her discretion which means without the aid and advice of the chief minister and the council of ministers. The president of India can on his own or her own reserve a bill passed by the state legislature for his or her consideration without it being forwarded by the governor of that state concerned. Which of the statements are correct? A only one is the right answer. How? When we discuss that when a bill is passed by the legislative assembly, it is sent to the governor. What are the options available with the governor? Governor may give his ascent. Governor may withhold the ascent. Governor may send the bill back for reconsideration but it should not be a money bill because a money bill cannot be sent back to the legislature for reconsideration. Or the governor may reserve a bill for the consideration of the president and this is something that we say is one of the misuse of the discretionary powers of the governor. So it is not that the president reserves a bill on which is passed by the state legislature for his or her consideration. It is the governor reserves that bill for the consideration of the president. So question number 84 a one only is the right answer. Right or wrong? Question number 84. Have you got this correct? Lovely. Consider the following pairs. Provision in the constitution stated under separation of judiciary from the executive in the public services of the state. Is it part of directive principles? Article 50. Correct. Valuing and preserving the rich heritage of our composite culture. Is it part of fundamental duties? Yes. Prohibition of employment of children below the age of 14 years in factories. Is it part of fundamental rights? Yes. Article 24 of the constitution. How many pairs are correctly matched? See all of the above? How? When we discuss the child labor law, significant amendment was made to this child labor prohibition and regulation act in 2016. And we discuss in the classes what is the status of this child labor less than the age of 14 before 2016 after 2016. And this is something that we discuss in article 24. Clearcut direct question. When we look at directive principles of the state policy mentioning under article 50 separation of judiciary from the executive which is a directive principle of state policy and I tell you repeatedly that you have to memorize all the 11 fundamental duties which are mentioned under article 51 capital A mentioned under part four capital A of the constitution. In fact I also gave you the acronym which some of you may remember. Now what is the acronym that you need to follow to memorize all these 11 fundamental duties and in that we discuss to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture and in fact when we analyze fundamental duties from the main's perspective I also tell you that this phrase some constitutional experts say it's very vague these are vaguely worded fundamental duties what do we mean by rich heritage of our composite culture. What is this composite culture that we are talking about? Direct question see all of the above is the right answer. Let's look at question number 86 with reference to the constitution of India. If an area in a state is declared as scheduled area under the fifth schedule of the constitution which means we are talking about schedule five and we are talking about states other than SAM, Egghallaya, Misoram and Tupura because these are the states which come under these are the areas under these states come under schedule six of the constitution. The state government loses its executive power in such areas and a local body assumes total administration. This is not correct because we discuss whenever we discuss schedule five of the constitution we mention that governor has the power that you can alter the areas the establishment of a scheduled area. It is the responsibility of the president. The president can increase, decrease, alter or abolish, establish or abolish a scheduled tribal scheduled area under schedule 5. And then the governor has the responsibility, special responsibility of administering the scheduled tribal area. But we also discussed that does not mean that the state executive will have no control over it or this area will be beyond the executive power of the state. That's something that is not provided. The union government can take over the total administration of such areas under certain circumstance on the recommendations of the governor. But this is something which is not mentioned in the schedule 5. Look at schedule five wording as we discuss in the classes. What are the features? Tribes advisory council. Three fourth members will be the tribal MLAs. Remaining ones will be notified, nominated by the governor and then this tribes advisory coun committee or council will advise the governor whether this state law will apply to this tribal area or not. That does not mean that union government can take over the total administration of such areas under circum certain circumstances on the recommendations of the governor. So which of the statements are correct? D neither one nor two is the right answer. How many amongst you got this question correct? Fine. Correct. Very good. Consider the following subjects under the constitution of India. List one which is union list in the seven schedule. Extent of the executive power of a state conditions of the governor's office for a constitutional amendment with respect to which of the above? Ratification by legislators of not less than one half the states is required before presenting the bill to the president of India for ascent. Something that we discuss in the classes that there is another way in which constitution can be amended. But if parliament wants to amend federal features of the constitution, apart from the requirement of a special majority in both houses of the Indian parliament, this bill needs ratification by not less than half of the states before it can be sent to the president for ascent. And which are those federal provisions? Extent of executive power of the union and of a state. This is correct. any mention of the seventh schedule itself. This is where we give the example that if when GST was implemented constitutional amendment with ratification of the half of the states was required provisions with respect to Supreme Court and high court. This is where we discussing the classes when NJAC was enacted when NJAC 19 99 constitutional amendment act was passed it needed ratification by less not less than half of the states. But is there any mention of the conditions of the governor's office? No. So one and two A is the right answer. How many amongst you got this correct? Correct. Correct. Yes. Yes. Yes. Very nice. With reference to Indian polity, consider the following statements. The governor of a state is not answerable to any court for the exercise and performance of the duties and powers of his or her office. You might some of you might be confused with the recent judgment of the Supreme Court when a bill which is reserved for the consideration of the president or a bill which is pending the ascent of the governor that's a matter related to Tamil Nadu which is there before the court and the court had said no we will review it right but when we discuss article 14 itself look at the wording point by point the president or the governor is not answerable to the court of law with regard to the discharge of their official functions with regards to the exercise of the powers of duties. Article 361 clearly. So this is correct. No criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against the governor during his or her term. No criminal action whatsoever can be initiated against the president or the governor as long as they remain in office. As long as they are in office. Correct. Members of the state legislature are not liable to any proceeding in any court in respect of anything said within the house. Where is the third third statement? Look at article 105 when we discuss the powers, privileges and immunities of the members of the parliament. No member of the parliament shall be liable to any proceedings in any court with respect to anything said or any what given. Wording same to same 1 2 3 B is the right answer. How many amongst you got this correct? So these were the 14 questions that we had to discuss. These 14 questions were asked from Indian polity. Now coming back to something very important for you. You may all be wanting to know sir what should be the cutoff or what can be the cutoff for prelims 2025. If you look at the questions asked from Indian polity these questions were relatively easier than the questions asked in 2024. Questions related to economy were relatively easier than what were asked in 2024. Questions related to geography relatively easier as compared to 2024. Yes. Questions related to environment, questions related to science and tech may have been slightly different or difficult, moderately difficult, but questions with respect to modern history were relatively easier than were asked in 2024. And our senses all the teachers when we discuss together analyze the question paper compare it with and through our decades of experience we have come to the conclusion we are predicting a cutoff which will range anywhere between 92 to 95. 92 to 95 is what we expect the cutoff to be for prelims 2025. Now these were the polity questions that we had to discuss and I've showed you how we teach in the plus classes as well how we cover Indian polity and if you want to learn with us prepare with us and study under us then you can join our foundation batch which starts on the 31st of May and you can enroll with us by subscribing to our plus course at 199. I will pause here. I will ask Chetan Sur now to come or Rabishek sir will come to discuss his subject. So please stay with us. Don't go anywhere. 1 minute we will be back. Welcome back. So we'll be discussing the history questions. Now this time we got 16 questions out of history which is an all-time high if you look at the questions which have come in the past four years. So between 2020 and 2025 this is the highest allocation and over and above that we've seen a resurrection of modern India. So we have two questions from ancient India, two questions from early medieval. Thereafter we have four questions from art and culture and eight questions from modern India which is totally opposite to what happened last year. And if you have gone through any of our programs be it the classroom program be it plus be it iconic or be it platinum and even if you've gone through the marathons the questions were manageable if I have to divide the questions into a certain you can say space with regards to easy moderate and difficult out of these 16 at least 12 were easy to moderate thereafter plus two I will say two obscure too very factual in that regard. Buddhism, Janism, a very favorite topic of UPSC did not come through and we saw that IVC was rather asked as part of art and culture. So it's a good set of questions. If previously only six to seven were manageable out of history, this time you can easily get 10 to 12. And if you have been smart to leave these four questions, you can easily both use history to clear the cutoff without taking a negative in that regard. So let's look at the questions. So the first question is about Rajar Ram Muhanoy and his ideology which is he possessed great love and respect for traditional philosophical systems of the east. East is a very important word. If it said west, the statement would have been incorrect. Totally correct statement. He desired his countrymen to accept the rational and scientific approach and the principle of human dignity, social equality of of all men and women. This is where both the statements are correct. See these are called very generic and very ambiguous vague statements. This would be true for most of the social reformers in that regard. So you did not need to read too much into it. Only fact which needed to be checked is this one which is is it east or west? If it says west then it would have been an incorrect statement. This one non-ooperation this time was a favorite topic of UPSC. We saw four questions out of the eight of modern India actually out of the national movement specifically non-cooperation and CDM. So it is talking about the non-cooperation program which is the Kilafa non-corporation program which were the parts of this program itself. Here we have boycott of law codes and foreign cloth. Observance of strict nonviolence. Retention of titles honors without using them in public. Establishment of punchiats for dispute resolution or settling disputes. So if you actually go through the provisions you will realize it is not the retention but rather the renunciation. So basically you have government schools boycott with colleges courts and now because courts have been boycotted you will see punchayats in place of that. Further this was the reason why the saraj no changer concept true and and this makes this question easy. This is a very standard concept which you'll find as part of the classroom program or as part of the book itself. Here the answer becomes only three. This one is incorrect. It is a renunciation. You have to give up. You have to give up the government honors and titles. Okay, this is a very easy question term based question out of early medieval which is what do you mean by the agrahata? Now here A obviously is incorrect, D obviously is incorrect because it has nothing to do with buckets and the concept of leather. But yes, here B is the answer. But if you got confused with D remember these are two very different things which is large wheel with earn pots tied to the outer end as you can see the outer end and on the other hand it says driven by bulocks. Some students said that sir it does not mention bulocks here but it mentions earn pots and pot singular and here it is talking about multiple and that is the whole point of the Persian wheel itself. Persian wheel was also a part of a new technology which was developed in the early medieval period where gearing technique was used to spin the gear and therefore also bring in water. This allowed for further irrigation practices to go forward. The Persian wheel is a very important technology introduced during with the early medieval period. Very easy question again nothing out of the box. This is art and culture literature. Who among the following rulers in ancient India had assumed the title Mahavila, Vichitra and Gunabhara? Here you need to know straightforward. It is Mahendra Vhman which is it is written by Mahindra Bharman. It is a set of texts and Sanskrit plays which basically were related to him. And this is a very well-known fact again they could have given any random set of facts but a very well-known Mahindraman or if you've left this question Kushid good enough this can be difficult for a student who has not gone through palavan you can say cultural contribution if you've left this question yes perfect good strategy but if you know this you should easily be able to there are two options in which you can get confused I would say that if you've left it very Good. If you knew it, very very good. Perfect. This is a very easy question. Again, foreign travelers, they could have asked any random personality, but they went with one of the most known, which is out of the FHI, which is Fahan, Yunang, Its Singh. They asked Fahan and they asked Fahan. The Chinese pilgrims traveled to India during the reign of Chandra Gupta to Vikramadity. We have a table in the book which gives you the ruler, the foreign traveler, which country he's coming from. And therefore this is where you see Fahan, Chandra, Gupta, Vikmad. It is very easy. Chinese, Hunang, its Singh. These are very three standard known personalities. Fayan, Hunang, Singh. Very easy that way. This you should not have left. This you should not have left. This is a very easy question. This is a free marks from UPSC. If you left it then I hope that you've picked up on other questions. This is you will find in every standard literature and that is where this is a question which should be done by you. Okay. This again is a very easy question Shri Vijaya and the reference to the cholas has been in the news quite a lot. Yes, we discussed this as part of conquer prelims in the marathon session also which is who among the following led a successful military campaign against the kingdom of Shvijaya the powerful maritime state which ruled Malaya peninsula Sumatra Java and the neighboring islands very easy Rajendraan only a chola would have the power to push something like this and this is where you have to understand that when we talk about him he completed a process which was started by Raja Raja and this is where The way he had a certain consciousness towards making sure that that maritime trade becomes a priority is something which is very very important again discussed n number of times as part of the classroom program as part of plus and iconic in that very easy question again I hope nobody's left this now this is one question I hope would have left yes above we had discussed this as part of you can also if you left this very This time rivers came but in the context of Mahajanpad and this is where I believe in the heat of the examination it is very very difficult to answer this type of question that to UPSC played a lot of games which is for example rather than writing bias they gave the vic name of bayas which is vipasa and over and above that if you look at ashaka godavi kambboja vipasa avanti and Kosla two are directly two are directly in a way correctly matched which is Ashmaka Godavari totally correct and Kosla Saru as you can say Suru river used to actually divide the Kosla into north and south here what happens is you had to have Kabul river here and Narmmada here if you know the basic location of the Mahajanpadas also you could be able to get this answer remember one thing very clearly. I do not do not expect you to know this question because it's too much data for one question. Too much data for one question. Very good deductionist. We discussed this. Yes. So I hope that you left this question because in the 16 questions this is where I really don't want you to lose out in a negative. If you got this correct Priya, very good. Left it smart choice. Very good. Very okay. Now this is again a question which came out of art and culture and this is where I say this is a difficult question very difficult question because randomly they've talked about the first Gandharva Mahavidala when where was it established in 1901 by Vishnu Kulskar now you should understand one thing here the answer is actually Lahore not Gualier the answer is Lahore these two questions were to be left which is question number 27 and question number 28. See if they had asked any question related to this concept be it who is the establisher of this which year it was established or or what is the organization itself you would not have got the answer correct. This is random random question but see if you will Google something like this you will find that they would say it properly started to flourish in Gualia but but it says first first that is why lahor is the answer here. Okay. Again I have taught this multiple times. Again in the marathon I had a very long discussion on this. Morian administration was something which I used to explain and I used to say that there is a lot of you can say DMDC concept which is the pradeshika the rajuka. So it says ashokan inscriptions suggest that pradeshika rajuka yukta were important officers at a lot of students I've seen have answered provincial administration. No it is district level provincial will go to the Kumar or the Arautra. So if you actually look at it province is Kumar Arautra then Rajuka Yukta and Pradeshika are district level. This is where this is where in the marathon also I discussed that we have the concept of the DM coming through. So if you just went through the first part of the marathon easily you would have got this answer very easy question in the larger scheme of UPSC has been very kind to history this time which is quite unlike it and therein a lot of questions with conceptual clarity have come to remember conceptual clarity was still needed. Okay, this question directly picked up from all standard sources which is with respect to non-ooperation movement. The Congress declared the attainment of Saraj by all legitimate means and peaceful means to be its objective. It was to be implemented in stages with civil disobedience and non-payment of taxation for the next stage only if Suraj did not come within a year and the government is ordered to repression. As I said the second stage of NCM was always known. Here both the statements are correct. What was this is basically reference to the Nagpur session. In the Nagpur session it was decided that they would go for extra constitutional means but in a peaceful and legitimate manner. Please understand this point. A lot of students have reached out saying that sir is this actually correct? See they omitted one line out of this. It could have easily said the Congress declared the attainment of Siraj by extra constitutional means. That is also correct. If they say by all legitimate and peaceful means that is also correct. They omitted the line extra constitutional. And if you know basic you can say Gandhian philosophy they would never talk about anything other than the concept of peaceful. So if you've marked B you are reading too much into the first line. Reading too much into the first line. We have discreases directly out of this concept that it has to be nonviolence. Yes. See the word saraj was used. The word saraj was used as early as the swadeshi movement itself. But here the point is attainment of saraj becoming part of the nagpur session is a standard thing. A standard thing not a very difficult question in the larger scheme of things. You should understand this point that here you are reading too much into the first one. If you are getting it incorrect, very easy question based out of standard sources even the book itself. Okay. Now this question no book will give you the answer but can be easily coming through because it is only in one context that Gandhi would say something like sedition has become my religion was a famous statement given by Gandhi G at Champaran. He did not do anything sedicious. attending the second round table conference in London again that was not it launching the quit India movement we know that what he said at goalia tank itself when he broke the salt law it is in that moment that he was doing civil disobedience and civil disobedience automatically becomes a reference point to what we today call as a concept of sedition. So if you go by all the options again this is not an easy question it's a moderate question. These two questions 30 and 91 need a little bit of understanding. Quit India would not be sedicious in that sense because he did not mention the concept of breaking laws. It was rather about do or die. So you actually have to actually have to understand how the ideology is interacting. These are factual questions but need a little bit of context and understanding from your you can say base knowledge and foundational understanding also. This is a free question. Free question. The famous female figure known as the dancing girl found at Mojandaro is Mojudaro is made of three bronze bronze. Bronze bronze mojaro is known for that. This question is a free question, easy art and culture question, they could have easily gone into a certain direction which would have been very difficult. But this is very easy. If you're getting this incorrect, it means that there's a issue of base knowledge and understanding in that regard. Okay, this is a question which is difficult and I would suggest that if you have no idea about it, leave it and I hope that you left it also which is who provided legal defense to the people arrested in the aftermath of chor. Now the reference point to this is two there was a news which came through in and around the what we call as 100 years of of chor and 100 years of the non-ooperation movement further Azadi Kamrit Mahhatuds talks about this which is Madan moan Malvia and Krishna Kant are the ones who actually were the legal council in that regard if you knew this very good but the idea is this is a difficult one so this is your third question out of the 16 I told you four you have to be wary of it's a very old reference that is where there's a interesting concept somehow CDM NCM should have come NCM should have come 2 years back but they didn't talk about anything 5th February 1922 the concept of cha itself should have come 2 years back so they've taken this question out of the pool of questions which they had previous and if you're using this logic siad jina were not keen to yes that is also true aspirin that's a very good logic if you're using that logic it's A very old concept again aadi Kamit Mahuds references also one year two year back so very simply Madan moan Malvia if you did not know this don't take a negative in these type of questions okay again a free question purely free question subsequent to which of the following events Gandhi G who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres decided to include the uplment of harijans in his political and social It has to be after he comes back from the second round table conference and the Puna pact obviously has to be the Puna pact because his Harijan campaign starts from that point itself which is 194ish onwards he will go into political hiatus we've discussed this again as part of our larger timeline I've always talked about the concept of phase one phase two and thereafter going forward with regards to huran campaign in. Okay, this is something which I was discussing just two to three days back in the platinum course itself and we were discussing what are different types of fruits which were brought in by the Portuguese. So how many of the above were introduced in India by the Portuguese in 16th and 17th century. Here there is one thing which in different sources you'll find different answers meaning you will sometimes find a lot of intersections. You will sometimes find a lot of you can say divergences but pineapple, papaya and guava are all three or all three were introduced by the yes guava would have been a little this is the one which you really don't find in all standard sources but guava is a one you don't really expect this type of a question from UPSC but if you go by the standard you can say lists you will find guava also This I'll tell you the exact reference to this. This is out of a Cambridge University book where there's a chapter on the impact of the Portuguese on India and exactly all three were given in sequence but in these type of questions you should always go with all correct also. Now again UPSC gave you a free question. They could have asked this question in any way and they could have made it extremely difficult also which is who among the following was the founder of the self-respect movement. Very simply the self-respect movement was based on Eevee Ramaswami nikar it has to be per it has to be barrier. So when we talk about these questions generally 2 + 2 + 4 + 8 12 I'm presuming you would get correct and you will to take these 20 to 24 marks and clear the cutoff. This has been a you can say moderately easy part of history which has been asked but one thing is very clear you have to have basic understanding. You have to have base knowledge, foundational knowledge which we cover in plus iconic and platinum. You have to have a larger understanding which is based on not just ratification but concept conceptual clarity and in any way or form if you've been struggling with too many sources for history for example you need RS Sharma Satish Chandra Bipin Chandra Spectrum Nitan Singh Hanya too many sources which is close to close to 10 to 12 sources for history including NCRT and Tamilad you have a one-stop solution now available to you to use the course Indian history. The link is given in the description box and this is where all five themes are covered within 700 pages. So with this I'll hand it over to Tamsa. He will basically take the questions on economy. Thank you. Take care. Bye-bye. Good evening everyone. Welcome to the session where I'll be discussing the questions from Indian economy which have been asked in today's preliminary examination. I'll be discussing around 16 questions and before I start the discussion very important point for the first time I'm pretty sure you might have observed this for the first time UPC has made a change in the pattern of questions which are being asked in Indian economy that is the questions on calculation were asked in the paper one that is GS paper this has not h this has not happened the last one decade this has never happened where numbers are given calculations have been asked but having said so you should also take a solace in the fact that the questions which were asked were not very difficult we'll solve that these are not very difficult though that is the calculation question second point there are certain questions which have been repeated and as usual the questions on important areas that I kept on telling the students that is there will be a guaranteed question on Reserve Bank of India questions have come and one more surp Surprising factor is multiple questions have been asked from the area of budgeting. That is one more special outcome or let's say special feature that you can attribute to the preliminary examination. Let me start with question number 31 with reference to investments. Consider following. Bonds, hedge funds, stocks, venture capital. How many of the above are treated as alternative investment funds? Now whenever you come across the concept of AI if under the model of financial market you would have come across the alternative investment funds. Why these are referred to as alternative investment funds. The name itself suggests that compared to the traditional models of investment traditionally we invest in shares that is in the equity market traditionally we have been investing in bonds. Now compared to the traditional instrument now there are new instruments which have been introduced in the market. Generally these right are referred to as one group is referred as alternate investment funds. So bonds it is a traditional the stocks or the shares or the equity is a traditional hedge fund as well as venture capital. These are the new types of investment models which are present which are categorized under AIF. So two and four these two are correct. Right option for question number 31 will be option B. Let me go forward now. Question number 32. Which of the following are the sources of income for the Reserve Bank of Ind. In the last 1 one and a half year there has been one point of discussion. The point of discussion has been the transfer of surplus from Reserve Bank of India to government of India. Transfer of surplus. Last year also the transfer of surplus was done by RBI. This year also hardly a day ago Reserve Bank of India announced a transfer of surplus. And in both of these years the focus has been record transfer of surplus. But when you read about surf surplus essentially you also talk about what are the sources of Reserve Bank of India generating revenue. How does RBI earn money? Where does RBI spend money? And because the earning is higher compared to the expenditure and because RB is not a company it's not a commercial entity. We simply use the term surplus there and part of the surplus we give it to government of it. But the question is not on surplus but the question is on income sources of reserve bank of it. Let's look at each one of them. Buying and selling government bonds. Can this be a source of income for RBI? So just think of it. RBI will buy a bond let's say at 80 rupees sell it at 100 rupees. Can this be a source of revenue or the income for RBI? Yes. buying and selling foreign currency. You can basically equate this to RBI participating in the forex market to stabilize rupee value which RB has done to a very great extent in the last one year. So when RBI will purchase the currencies at a lower value, sell it at a higher value can that be a source of income for RBI? Yes. Pension fund management and lending to private sector companies. Whenever you read about RBI, listen about RBI, one factor that would have been continuously mentioned to you is RBI doesn't deal with companies directly. RBI never gives a loan to a company. RBI never collects a deposit directly from a company. RBI will deal with banks or NBFs and NBFCs. And these banks and NBFCs in turn will deal with other participants in the market. So obviously the third and fourth and RB is not involved in the pension fund management. It is never involved. For that we have different boards for that. Right? So third and fourth incorrect. Fifth one printing and distribution of currency notes. If RB will print let's say a currency note and it will involve which will involve a cost of let's say 10 rupees and will issue this currency note in the market whose denomination is 100 rupees. The difference between that is called as senorage and this senorage is essentially counted as a part of revenue income for Reserve Bank of India. So one is correct, two is correct, five is correct. Right option for this particular question number 32 will be option D. Let me go forward now. Question number 34. Consider the following statements. RBI mandates all the listed companies in India to submit business responsibility and sustainability report. Now in the last one year there has been one area of discussion. I had given the notes uh when I took let's say the conquer prelims detailed notes were provided and one of the areas of notes was essentially BRSR. The connection to the question is in the last one year there has been a discussion called as ESG environmental social and governance and those particular companies especially the top thousand companies which are listed in India have been directed by the SEBI which is the market regulator it has been directed by SEBI to simply submit certain documentation based on which index or the ranking or certain information will be provided which is essentially called as a BRSR framework, business responsibility and sustainability report. And because this is again even if you have not read because it is associated with the listed companies, who should be the regulator for listed companies? Should it be RBI? Should it be SEBI? And moreover companies, should it be RBI? Should it be SEBI? Right? So first statement incorrect because it has been mandated by semi not by RBI. Second in India companies submitting the BRSR makes disclosures in the report that are largely non-financial in nature. What do you mean by non-financial here? How much is right let's say the measures or what kind of reforms or the measures which have been undertaken by these particular companies under environmental social and governance framework the ESG framework these disclosures are supposed to be provided or the submitted by these companies to SEBI so this is not a financial disclosure it is associated with the non-financial disclosures second statement is true question number 34 Four right option will be option B. Question number 35. Now consider the following statements. Statement one. In India income from allied agriculture activities like poultry farming and wool raring in rural areas is exempted from tax. This particular question I feel it is a difficult question. A lot of you either might have skipped it or would have made a mistake because you're focused only on agriculture activities. I feel this is a difficult question because you're not expected to read everything and anything that is covered under the income tax act. You're not expected to. But at the same point of time you must also realize UPSC purposely will throw in these kind of questions which are very difficult out of all the material that you might have read from certain remote area remote area that will be asked. So consider the following statements in India income from allied agriculture activities like poultry farming and wool raing in rural areas is exempted from any tax. This statement is incorrect. Question number 35 statement is incorrect. In India, rural agriculture land is not considered a capital asset under the provisions of income tax act of 1961. Right? I hope you understand this. It is not considered as a capital asset under right let's say the capital asset under the income tax. Again a difficult statement because the UPS is expecting expecting you to have read what is considered under capital asset short-term long-term all the classes of asset etc etc this is a very difficult statement very difficult question overall but the statement is correct so first statement is incorrect second one is correct right essentially the right answer for this would be option D but statement two is correct and statement one is incorrect question number 37. Consider the following statements. Statement one. As a regards returns from an investment in a company, generally the bond holders are considered to be relatively at a lower risk than the stockholders. Let me explain all the three statements here. Bond holders are lenders to a company whereas stockholders are the owners. The statement two is a straightforward straightforward a correct statement because the argument is there are two markets a capital market and a money market. Within the capital market further there is a division a debt market and an equity market. In case of equity market the shares are issued the investors will get the ownership in a company. That's the reason it is called as an equity. And on the other side the investors will invest get the bonds but these bonds will basically give them or guarantee them returns in the future but not ownership that is the company will be in a debt. Company has a liability to repay. So that is a debt and the other one is the equity. So have a look at this. Bond holders are lenders. Yes. Whereas stockholders are owners. Statement two is correct. The statement three for repayment purposes the bond holders are prioritized over stockholders by a company. Now what is what is the meaning here? If a company has to basically right let's say liquidate the company has to be shut down in case of let's say liquidation of a company who will be paid will be given the first preference amongst right let's say the bond holders and the shareholders will be given the first preference obviously the lenders are given the first preference very simple the lenders are given the first preference and the other one shareholders are the owners there a very famous statement. If you're a shareholder, you are a owner. If the company earns profit, you get part of the profit. If the company incurs losses, you are basically the bearing the burden of losses because you are the owner. So shareholders are owners. They are given less priority compared to the bond holders. The priority is given to the lenders who are the bond holders than the priority is given to shareholders. Now look at the statement one as regards returns from an investment in a company generally the bond holders are considered to be relatively at a lower risk than the stockholders. This statement is also correct. Reason being if you purchase a bond the company guarantees payment. The company guarantees the payment that is the coupon amount or the interest amount is guaranteed by the company irrespective of whether the company earns a profit or a loss. The statement one is correct, two is correct and three is correct. Now how do you choose the option? Look at this uh option one. Both statement two and three are correct and both of them explain a statement one. Both of them are explaining the statement one that is essentially it's like a heading is given and below that two more statements are provided and if you read the second and third statement you are able to understand the first statement which is absolutely correct. Question number 37 option A is the right one. Question number 38. India accounts for a very large portion of all equity option contracts traded globally thus exhibiting a great boom. before I solve the question is this question easy difficult or let's say one of the question that you need to skip I would basically put this in the category I would put this in a category where you might have to skip this question one of the statement is easy what is a statement which is very easy the third statement please look at the third statement one and two very difficult but look at the third statement there is no regulatory body either to warn the small investors about the risk of options trading or to act on unregistered financial advisors in this regard. Now you tell me in the last let's say four to five months have there not been multiple conferences where sebi chairperson again and again is warning retail investors. Think of it se chairperson again and again has been warning let's say the retail investors. Why? Lot of these retail investors were investing in the market. They were investing in the market not just any market but in options futures and options. So if you start with one and two you may you may have to skip the question or you may have to write basically round up something which is wrong. But if you start with a third statement you will realize that this statement is incorrect. Why? There is a regulatory authority by the name of Sebi Securities Exchange Board of India. So the third statement is incorrect. Can you use elimination method here? Yes, use the elimination method. You'll get the right option. You will get the right option. Done. Right? So right option for this particular question is option A. And by the way, although first and second statements first and second statements are difficult, the statements are true. In the last one year, the market capitalization of India's market has increased. It has ballooned. It has ballooned to a very great extent. It has overtaken multiple countries. It is one of the largest economies with the market capitalization. And on the other side, India accounts for a very large portion of all equity option contracts. Yes, in recent times, yes, this is correct. Okay, this is correct. So if you have read the current affairs to a very great extent, very great extent because normally you do not come across these statements and I know a lot of you read Hindu newspaper you will stick to only Hindu newspaper lot of this information would not be there in Hindu newspaper but anyways using the elimination method you could have got the answer. Okay so question number 38 right option is option A. Let me go to question number 14. Now consider the following statements. Capital receipts create a liability or cause a reduction in the assets of the government. Let me start the explanation here. Whenever you read about budget, this was discussed multiple times by me even in the marathon sessions. By in the budget you will see that the budget accounts are divided into two parts. One is the revenue account and the second one is the capital account. And you will realize that when you talk about capital receipts right that is capital expenditure and capital receipts if you have seen my marathon session I'd given very simple key here very simple key what was the key start with capital expenditure imagine your investing in the road with that assets will increase and if the assets are increasing liability will decrease remember this and whatever you have written this side under the receipt side you write exactly opposite you write exactly opposite right so this is essentially the key that I had given in my discussion in the classroom or even in the marathon session etc now let's get back here capital receipts create a liability or cause a reduction in the assets of the government now tell me is the statement true look at this is the statement true capital receipts reduce assets increase liabilities Please create a liability or reduce the asset. Yes, first statement is correct. Second question, second statement. Borrowings and disinvestments are capital receipts. Capital receipts. Yes. Under the capital receipts, you will further divide the capital receipts. We'll divide the capital receipts. You will basically keep recovery of loans from the state governments. This investment as well as the borrowings under the capital receipts. And the second statement is a straightforward borrowings and a disinvestment at capital receipts. Yes, interest received on the loans create a liability here itself we can simply say no. Reason being you have given a loan and you earn interest. Does you receiving interest does it create a liability? Liability means you'll have to repay this. No interest is not repaid. Interest is right one-sided income third statement incorrect. So one and two are correct. Right option for the question will be option A. 1 and two are only correct. Now let me go to question number 50 scheme based question. Consider the following statements about Rashria Gokul mission. Straightforward no conceptual discussion there. If you know you know otherwise you don't know. That is the kind of question which was asked regarding schemes. And by the way, I don't know how many of you have observed this compared to last year, this year, the number of questions which have been asked on the schemes has come down to a very great extent. It has come down to a very great extent. So these statements it is important for the upliftment for the rural poor as majority of low producing indigenous animals are with the small and marginal farmers and landless laborers. the statements or the objectives which were given for the the Rashtria Gokul mission RGM all of these were actually mentioned right and again I'm saying straightforward nothing conceptual here simply factual statements it was initiated to promote indigenous cattle and buffalo reading and conservation and a holistic in a holistic manner yes this is also one of the objectives of the Kokul mission both the statements are Right option is option C. Both the statements are correct. Question number 62. Now write one statement from economy. Another two statements or remaining two from directly current affairs. Indian railways has prepared a national rail plan to create future ready system by 2028. The government of India couple of years ago announced a policy the national rail mission 2030. National rail mission 2030. Under the national rail mission government of India had multiple objectives. For example the government said we want to increase the usage of railways for freight transportation. Right now it was when the policy was announced it was around 27%. The government of India wanted to increase it to around 45%. They wanted to invest a lot of money develop infrastructure so that as the de as the demand keeps on increasing that essentially you will have sufficient infrastructure to take care of the rising demand. But the policy was essentially to be implemented till 2030. Now look at the statement here. The the UPC statement simply says till 2028. First one incorrect. Second one, coverage is an automatic train protection system developed in collaboration with Germany. I'm pretty sure in the last one year you must have come across the term coverage multiple times and every time you have come across that either in our CNA discussion or in the newspaper when you read these articles they will not forget to mention one point that the coverage is indigenously developed. Correct? All of you have read the statement in the newspaper everywhere that you have read about coverage. It is indigenously developed. The second statement is incorrect. not in collaboration with Germany. Third one, coverage system consist of RFID tax tweeted on track in station section. I distinctly remember during one of the CNA discussions that is the Hindu news analysis discussion. There was an article text and context page. In the article text and context space there was a detailed discussion which was provided regarding coverage system in India and all of this information that is how coverage right let's say system works what kind of messaging we are using what kind of tagging what kind of technology etc all of that was mentioned we have discussed that as well right so third statement is correct but you need to find how many of the above statements are not correct right so first and two or first and second are incorrect. Right option for question number 62 will be option A. 62 option A is the right one. Let me go to question number 71. Now 71 and the next question very interesting questions. Suppose the revenue expenditure is 80,000 crores. The revenue receipts of the government are 60,000 cr. The government budget also shows borrowings of 10,000 crores and interest payments of 60,000 crores. Which of the following statements are correct? I hope you understand during the discussion. I'm pretty sure whether you have attended the marathon, you have done the self-study, doesn't matter. You would have come across these formulas. You would have come across these formulas that is for revenue deficit, effective revenue deficit, primary deficit, fiscal deficit, right? A budget deficit although we don't use it today but anyways and monetized deficit. Now the question is on revenue deficit, fiscal deficit and primary deficit. What is a fiscal deficit? Fiscal deficit simply means how much money you borrow. That's it. How much money you borrow from the market is called as fiscal deficit. Right? So have a look at this. The government government budget shows a borrowings of 10,000 cr rupes. So fiscal deficit is 10,000 cr. Straightforward. Revenue deficit is 20,000 cr. What is the formula for revenue deficit? The revenue expenditure minus revenue receipts. The revenue expenditure mentioned is 80,000 crores. revenue uh revenue receipts mentioned is a 60,000 crores. So what is the revenue deficit? 20,000 crores straightforward. Third one the primary deficit is 4,000 crores. How do you calculate a primary deficit? Gross net. Don't worry here. Straightforward primary deficit. Primary deficit is the fiscal deficit minus interest liabilities. Right? The fiscal deficit minus interest liabilities. So how much is right the fiscal deficit here? 10,000 cr rupes. Fiscal deficit is 10,000 cr and interest payment liabilities is 6,000 crores. How much is the primary deficit? 4,000 cr rupees. First one, second one and the third one. All the three are correct. Right option for question number 71 will be option. Okay. Let me go forward. Question number 75. Extension of the previous question itself. Country's fiscal deficit stands at 50,000 crores. It is receiving 10,000 crores through non-debt creating capital assets. Some of you, I'm not saying all of you, some of you would be confused with the second statement itself. The country's interest liabilities are 1 and a half,000 crores. Now the question is what is the primary deficit? They're using the term gross. Ross are just normally primary deficit. What is the formula? Same I hope you understand. Same formula. The primary deficit is equal to the fiscal deficit minus interest liabilities. What is the fiscal deficit? It is 50,000 cr rupes. And how much is the interest liability? 1 and a half,000 cr rupes 1.5 cr. I'm sorry one 1 and a half,000 cr. So the amount of primary deficit will be 48 and half,000 rupees cr rupees. 482,000 cr rupees. The right option for question number 75 will be option A. Question number 76. Which of the following statements with regard to recommendations of 15th Finance Commission of India are correct? Now I know some of you who have gone through the documents or the notes which have been provided either in the book or the classroom etc will be able to answer but a lot of you who have not read these particular documents you'll basically say sir do I remember all of it and if you ask me right the question is purely let's say based on the data nothing conceptual just factual information has been provided but if you use the elimination method method that is the reason I said in the beginning of the discussion elimination method has been provided by UPC now you should be happy they should continue this so that at least some of the question you'll be able to use the elimination method easily get the answer now you can look at the data and get the answer but I'll focus on the second statement only just focus on the second statement because I know whether you have read completely regarding 15th FC 16th FC 14th FC doesn't matter. You will remember one point of data that is in the 14th FC the recommendation was 42% of the central divisible pool but the 15th FC adjusted this to 41% that's it only one data point right they adjusted this to 41% now look at the second statement the second statement simply says 45% of the net proceeds of the union taxes are to be shared with the states this statement is incorrect. This statement is incorrect. Why 41% not 45%. So as a result of this what will happen? Right? If you use the elimination method wherever two is there I will simply eliminate two. I'll simply eliminate two. Right? And I'll be left out with option number C 1 3 and four. It has recommended grants of 4.8,000 crores from 2022 23 to 25 and 26 for incentivizing the states for educational outcomes. 45,000 crores are to be kept as a performancebased incentive. It has reintroduced the tax effort criteria. That is if you look at the horizontal devolution formula. within the horizontal devolution formula the tax effort as a parameter was reintroduced by the 15th right but anyways you you could have used the elimination method got the answer question number 76 option C is the right one question number 78 consider the following statements in respect of RTGS and NFT first one in RTGS the settlement time is instantaneous basically expand the RTGS Real time real time why it is called as real time the moment you transfer the funds using RTGS within couple of minutes the recipient will get the money that's the reason this is called as realtime gross settlement yes first part is correct whereas in case of NFT it takes a certain time to settle reason being in any generally these are cleared in batches the amount is cleared in terms of batches right so first statement correct RTGS the customer is charged for inward transactions inward transaction means imagine I'll make an RTGS to you I'll transfer certain amount of lakhs of rupees to you will you be charged for receiving the money answer is no I will be charged for sending money you will not be charged for receiving money the second statement is operating hours for RTGS restricted on certain days while this is not true for need. If you go to RB website, you go to RBA website, the RBA website clearly says RTGS is available 24 bar 7 bar 365. Earlier there were restrictions right now RTI RBI RBI from 2020 has announced that right? So by 20 uh it will be available 24 bar 7 bar 300C. Okay, done. So the third statement is incorrect. There are no restrictions based on the data given by RPI. So first one is correct. Question number 78, option A is the right option. Question number 80, consider the following statements about PM suryagar MU Biji Yojana. Either you know the answer or you don't know the answer because the statements which have been provided are simply factual in nature. that is whatever data was provided in the newspapers based on the publication publication by government of India from the PIB all of that particular data has been utilized by UPSC to prepare a question here now let's start it targets installation of 1 cr solar rooftop panels yes straightforward it targets 1 cr installations yes according to the data which has been provided the amount will Basically 1 cr solar model panels will be installed in these particular houses. Yes, 1 cr is the target. Ministry of MNRE aims to impart training and installation operation maintenance. Yes, this is also correct. They want to create certain number of jobs because of this initiative. they they also want to provide upskilling reskilling for certain people so that they will get better opportunities with implementation of this job with this kind of a scheme. So all the three statements are true right option for question number 80 will be option D. Before I go forward again I reiterate this particular point. Two schemes have been asked compared to earlier year much lesser schemes. Both of the schemes straightforward whatever data has been published by government of India they have taken from those objectives given it in the form of a question okay question number 87 with reference to India consider the following pace again I would simply feel this is a kind of a difficult question reason being you're expecting a UPC aspirant to remember all the departments all the ministries all the authorities that is Not possible. Not possible. But anyways, organization and the union ministry, the national automotive board comes under ministry of heavy industries. First pair is incorrect. The ko board, right? This comes under uh the other ministry. The national center for trade information comes under the ministry of commerce. Right? So all the three pairs are incorrect. Right? All the three all the three pairs are incorrect. Some of them were there in the newspaper but again you're expecting an aspirant to remember all the boats all the right let's say ministries all the departments etc. That is not possible. That's not possible. If I were appearing, I would be skipping this question. Okay. So, right option will be option D. None of the pairs are correctly matched. Question number 19. Consider the following activities. Production of crude oil, refining, storage or distribution of petroleum, marketing and sale of petroleum products, production of natural gas. Again, somewhat difficult question. Reason being you generally don't read even in the newspapers for that matter on this authority the petroleum natural gas regulatory board don't come across this right you will come across right let's say the department of petroleum you will come across right let's say the oil marketing companies you'll come across many different components within the oil segment or the crude segment but you will not come across petroleum and natural gas regulatory board difficult question because generally you will not read about it. Anyways, question has been asked production of crude oil this is not done by a regulatory authority. It is not done by a regulatory authority. It will be done by companies. The companies which are foreign companies in India or private sector domestic companies or the governmentowned entities oil marketing companies. The production is done not done by a regulatory board. Refining, storage and distribution of petroleum. Yes, it is handled by the regulatory board. Marketing sale of petroleum products, yes, regulated by this particular board. But please understand again production of natural gas is not. So, uh one is incorrect, four is incorrect, two and three are correct. Right option for question number 90 will be right. So these are the questions I wanted to discuss with you people from the segment of Indian echo. Those who are preparing for the mains examination. We are going to launch an initiative by the name of conquer mains 2025 wherein you will have 50 plus live sessions 2 hours each basically taking over 100 hours of current uh the discussion covering all the areas which are required for mains examination. You'll also be given a special focus on current affairs where we are going to cover the monthly current affairs so that you are aware of what is happening. You'll also be provided with a descriptive answer writing practice. There will be mentoring sessions by rankers where they're going to uh basically guide you regarding mains answer writing and we will also be providing answer evaluation and feedback from subject specific educators. If you're interested do check out the details by clicking on the link provided in the description below. That's it from my side in this particular session. I will hand over the discussion to MKkesh sir. Hello everyone. Now let's continue the discussion for the portion of geography and environment. Now before we initiate the discussion of each of the questions just to give you a broader oversight regarding what was there in geography and environment this time in geography in particular you would have found that there was again a significant focus paid on the conceptual portion of it. Now out of the 15 to 16 questions which were asked in geography if you have managed to cover the portion of the concepts in greater detail through our sessions or any of the classes or even if you have got a good conceptual understanding of the NCERTTS you would have been able to solve more than 10 questions easily. Now that again for a subject like geography which is very unpredictable is a good range and a good ball ballpark to be in. Few of the questions which were factual now some of them could be solved by intuition or few of them were absolutely factual which even UPSC does not expect you to solve at get-go. So while all those of you are analyzing the PQS or analyzing this question paper for your future preparation don't get carried away by the factual questions. Take a look at the questions which have attacked the concepts. Now in the portion of environment again this lays into attention what is the strategy to be followed in environment which we will talk about in the coming days in a much greater detail. We'll bring out a detailed video regarding how to approach geography, how to approach environment. In environment again you would find that yes there were two or three of those factual questions but again if you have been regular in our newspaper analysis or even our UKAN sessions for environment ecology you would have been in a good place and you would have solved those questions. Now one by one let us pick up these questions. Let us understand what the answers would be and why the answers would be what they are. Now the first question of geography that is question number 13. Now this is about the again associated with current affairs. Various different scientific studies have indicated that there is a slight tilt in the earth's axis in the earth's actual rotation. So this is a question regarding that. Now the scientific studies which have been carried out they indicate that due to climate change there is increased amount of polar melting. Due to that polar melting, the water tends to flow towards the region of equator which changes slightly the center of mass and due to which the earth's oblquity and the earth's actual rotation that under goes a slight shift. So statement one, scientific studies suggest that a shift is taking place in earth's rotation and axis. This statement is correct. Statement two, solar flares and associated coronal mass ejections bombarded the earth's outermost atmosphere with tremendous amount of energy. This is again true. I mean this has been happening ever since the inception of planet earth then the statement three as the earth's polar ice melts the water tends to move towards the equator. Now this statement is also correct. Now all the three statements basically if you will find that they are correct. But then statement two in any which way is not related to why the earth's rotational position is changing. Why the axis has been changing if at all. It is basically because of the melting. Now what actually happens something that we have covered in the session in details as well. Under normal circumstances, you will observe that equatorial region has got a slightly higher level of water because of expansion. Heating creates some amount of expansion. So water in the lower latitude tends to expand ever so slightly. Whereas in the higher latitudes due to extreme cooling, freezing etc. That is where the water tends to gain a gradient which is lower in the higher latitude. So the general motion is from the lower to the higher latitude. But then when we have climate change due to climate change there is heating of the region of the poles due to which there is melting and the temperature tends to increase. So that means in the polar region the density of water tends to right it tends to expand. Now when it tends to expand the movement of water which was happening towards the poles then gets reverted and that is why you tend to have a movement away from the poles towards the equator. It is basically a slowing down of atlantic meridional overturning circulation where it is experienced in greater amount or in general the reversal of the thermmoaline circulation in certain portion. So here the third statement does explain the requirement of the first statement. But second statement even though it is correct, it is not explaining the first statement. The correct answer in this case is going to be B. That is both two and three are correct but only one of them explains statement one. Right? I hope most of you would have been able to get this correct. Now yes we had talked about CMEs and the Papa payload as well. Now the next question with reference to planet earth consider the following statement. Rainforest produce more oxygen than that produced by the oceans. This is incorrect because when we talk about the oceans, oceans have a very large population of algaal species that are phytolanton. Now these phytolantons end up producing large amount of oxygen. Now in many of the areas in the oceanic region you have the aspect of upwelling. Upwelling continues to happen. Now whenever that upwelling happens there is always an increase in the population of phytolantons and that would improve or increase the amount of oxygen which is produced. These phytolantons we have studied is a part of the marine food chain and hence an important ecosystem in the ocean. So the first statement is incorrect. Now marine phytolanton and photosynthetic bacteria produce about 50% of the world's oxygen. This is correct. Overall the oceans they are said to be producing close to around more than 50% of the overall atmospheric oxygen. The third well oxygenated surface water that is the flowing water or let's suppose even if you consider the smaller seas or larger oceans the surface water where there is a movement. Now well oxygenated surface water contains several folds higher oxygen than that in atmospheric air. This is incorrect because even when we talk about the production of oxygen, it is something which is in the entirety of the ecosystem of the ocean not restricted to the surface. So this is again something which is associated with the structure of the layer of the atmosphere. You can consider it under the portion of environment as well. So here you will observe that the correct answer in this case going to be B that is two only. Now after this a map based question but simple question for that matter if we simply knew the number of uh or the countries in South America we would have been able to solve that. So consider the following countries Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Venezuela. Again something that we have covered in our earlier session of places in news. Now you have to find out that in how many of these countries do you have the presence of the Andes which are the Andian nations out here. Now amongst the countries which are listed almost all of them have the presence of Andes other than the region of Brazil and Paraguay they don't have the presence of Andes right so if you observe the presence of Andes it is extending right from here all the way. So Paraguay is not considered an Indian nation and neither is Brazil. So in this case the correct answer is going to be C that is four. All the rest of them will be correct. Okay. Now after this consider the following water bodies. Now this this is what I call an absolute factual question. If you haven't managed to get this question correct or if you have not attempted the question, fair play. Please do not end up chasing these kind of questions. This is a a randomized question where you would have covered Lake Tangana in our various sessions. But the other two lakes which are given, they are not very major lakes but are lakes nonetheless. So for example here the question is out of these three lakes through how many of them does the equator pass? Right? So ideally expected not to airtime this lake Tangana. Does equator pass through the lake Tangana? Absolutely not. It is slightly lower around 6° south you will find the presence of Lake Tangana. Victoria is the lake through which you have the equator passing through. Then Lake Tonis. Now this is present in Cambodia again does not lie in equator and Poss Lagoon slightly above the region of Rio de la Plata. This is present in the region of Brazil again to the south of equator. So here the correct answer is going to be D. That is through none of them do you find the equator to be passing through. But again very factual question. So one be left for UPSC. Now next question. Consider the following statements about turmeric during the year 2223. Now this is about agricultural productivity. Now when we talk about turmeric that was in news last year owing to the price fluctuations which were experienced and also due to the unseasonal rains there was some damage to the turmeric crop as well. You had a detailed article in down to earth magazine also but nonetheless India is the largest producer and exporter of turmeric in the world. Correct. Right. Look at the global cuisines that also gives you an idea that India is one of those regions geographical regions where turmeric is grown and it is also one of the major exporters. More than 30 varieties of turmeric are grown in India. Correct. Then Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu that is a peninsula India that is ideal for the growth and the cultivation of turmeric. This is also the statement which is correct. So the correct answer in this case is going to be D that is 1 2 and 3. Okay. Now yes turmeric board was also in use. Correct. Now which of the following are the evidences of the phenomena of continental drift? I expect all of you would have got this answer correct. So basically what are the evidences presented by Alfred Vagna to indicate that continental drift did happen? belt of ancient rocks from Brazil coast matches with those of West Africa. Now this is a correct statement because one of the evidences of the continental drift theory is the similarity of the geographical structure geological structures across various continents. So here presence of similar mountain ranges remember in Appalachians and Scottish highlands and then basically geological rocks in western Africa and South America they are absolutely similar. So here the first statement is correct. Second statement gold deposits of Ghana are derived from the Brazil plateau when the two continents lay side by side. Now the gold deposits in kana they are basically a part of placar deposit right so they need a source rock placard deposits basically are the deposits carried created or the deposits dumped in a particular region where let's suppose a river has carried an insoluble material and deposited it somewhere else the portion from where the river is bringing down those particular deposits those are known as the source rock so for the gold deposits in west Africa large placer deposits of gold coarse rock is in the region of the Brazilian highlands. So when they would be side by side that is again a correct statement. So second statement is also correct in this case. The third statement bondana system of sediments from India is known to have its counterparts in six different land masses of the land masses as the terminology is. So here the deposits that you have sedimentary telight deposits in particular the glacial evidence that we have to be found in India to be found in the region of Australia, Antarctica, Madagascar, Africa, South America that makes up six different land masses. So that again is an indicator of the fact that all the continents would have been one and they have literally right. So three statements all of them are basically correct. The correct answer is see this is an easy question but after a long period of time UPSC has turned towards continental drift theory again. So I hope it has not caught anyone by surprise because the question the level of the question is easy. As I always say that in the case of geomorphology and oceanography UPSC has got very limited space to indicate its creativity. It is in climatology where UPSC can get creative. So here again you found a direct question being asked. Now then consider the following statements. This is about climatology. Statement one. The amount of dust particles in the atmosphere is more in the subtropical and temperate regions as compared to the equatorial and the polar region. Dust particles. Where will you find dust particles? You will find dust particles in the region where the conditions are dry. In the regions where rainfall is happening you will never find dust particles where the region and the conditions are very and absolutely dry. So when the conditions are dry means what the region is not receiving rainfall isn't it? Now if you compare let's suppose the region of equator to the region of subtropics which would receive rainfall. Let's suppose if you consider equator and if you consider subtropics the subtropics will not receive rainfall. Why you have sinking air column? Sinking air column means what? Dry conditions, high pressure, lack of rainfall. Equator you have rising air column. Everyday evenings and afternoons you have cumulus clouds leading to high amount of convectional rainfall. So in equatorial region the dust particle quantity will be less but in subtropics the quantity of dust particles will be high. So the first statement is correct. Then after that the second statement subtropical and temperate areas have less dry wind because subtropical lack of rainfall dry winds will be present. Okay. So in this case statement two is incorrect. Statement one is correct. Right? So in this particular case the correct answer is going to be that is basically one is correct but two is in. Okay I hope again most of you would have done that correct. Now a question which UPSC has been focusing upon an issue which UPSC has been focusing upon for the previous two years now that same issue and the same concept was repeated again that is why when you take a look at the PQS take a look at the previous year concepts also so it is about the isootherms and how do they bend so basically statement one in January in the northern hemisphere the isms bend equator wward while crossing the land masses and they bend poleward while crossing the oceans. Right? Now basically if you take a look at the isootherms so they bend polewards as they move from continent to ocean. Why? Because in oceans at the same latitude you experience a warmer temperature 0°C here but at the same latitude over the continents you experience very low temperature around -25° C that is why you will observe this that there is a case where they will bendwards right and they will bend equator woodwards as they come over to the continent. Yes, again something yes Manisha we discussed in the uh revision of conquer prelims also and other than the class also yes in the marathon session I hope you would have covered this as well. So here the first statement is correct. Second statement in January air over the oceans is warmer than that over the land masses in the northern hemisphere. Correct. Right? Why? Because the rate of heating of land and water is different. Land gains heat much quicker but loses heat very fast as whereas water gains heat slowly loses heat slow as well. This has got an implication on the daily temperature. During daytime land is hotter. During night time land is colder. But in the seasonal variation during winter you will observe the land is colder water is warmer. And air in contact with the land will also be colder. air in contact over the oceans is going to be one. So statement two is also correct. This is one of the reasons why the isootherms indicate the bend that they do. Right? So here which one of the following statements are correct. So in this case both statement one and two are correct and statement two remains the statement one and the reason for statement one. Okay. Now after this the next question in the context of the effect of water on rocks chalk made out of limestone is a very permeable rock whereas clay is known as quite an impermeable or less permeable. Permeable means what? Allows the water to pass through and porous means what? Has the ability to uh allow holding of water. So that is what UPSC has played with porocity and permeability. Now in the context of effect of water on rocks, chalk is known as very permeable whereas clay is known as quite an impermeable or least permeable rock. True. Because even when you take a look at the underground aquifers, many of the underground aquifers are trapped within those clay. Right? So the clay deposits which are there. So this is correct. Then the second statement basically chalk is porous and hence can absorb water. Right? Now this is again correct. Clay is not at all poor. This is incorrect. Clay is porous. So here the third statement is incorrect. And the first two statements overall you will find them to be correct. So the correct answer is C. Only one of the statements two and three is correct and that explains statement one. Okay. Now consider the following statements. Without the atmosphere, the temperature would be well below freezing point everywhere on the earth's. Now is that statement correct? If you apply your logic here, the catch is everywhere. If you remove everywhere, the statement is correct. Average annual temperature will be around -8 to -19°. But that is not what the question is. Question is everywhere it will be below freezing point. No, the portion which is exposed to the sun that will have very high temperature even though temporarily and then the portion which goes behind the sun much below the freezing point. So average daily temperature below freezing point, average annual temperature below freezing point. Average is not meant. So that is why the first state right now then yes again this was uh discussed in the session itself when we discussed about the impact of the greenhouse effect where we discussed that how the greenhouse effect maintains the and uh temperature of the planet. So greenhouse effect is not detrimental. It is basically beneficial retains the heat allows for the maintenance of temperature even during night time. Now, heat absorbed and trapped by atmosphere maintains our planet's average temperature. This is correct. Atmosphere's gases like carbon dioxide are particularly good in absorbing or trapping radiation. Again, correct. Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. It is a greenhouse gas which absorbs that temperature. So, in this particular case, the answer is going to be D. That is 2 and 3. Okay. Now, next question. Consider the following statements. It is about ethanol. Now of the two major ethanol producers in the world, Brazil and the USA, the former that is Brazil produces more ethanol than the latter. This is in USA is one of the largest producers of ethanol in the world, right? More than Brazil is. So the first statement in itself is incorrect. Now if you know that the first statement is incorrect then automatically the answer is the one option that is D. Okay. So D is basically the correct answer in this one is incorrect. Statement two however is correct that in US the ethanol is not produced from sugar cane. Ethanol is produced from corn and the byproducts of corn. Whereas in Brazil you will find that it is a sugar cane just like in India. In India also we produce ethanol primarily from sugar cane. Same is the case with Brazil as well. Okay. Now then the World Bank. Now this is again a question which can be taken for let's suppose environment ecology as well. There it was in news. We had discussed in the class multiple times as well. Now listen to this question carefully. The World Bank warned that India could become one of the uh first places where wet bulb temperature routinely exceeds 35°C. This is the statement. What follows is the question. But the statement ends at 35°C. What is this wet bulb temperature? So we know that on any particular surface, let's suppose the temperature experienced let's suppose is 40°. Let's assume but you will not necessarily feel that 40°C because whatever water is there that will evaporate and evaporation of water that brings about cooling. So after that evaporation after that evaporation once the cooling has happened after that what is the temperature that is known as wet bulb temperature. So if the wet bulb temperature routinely exceeds 35°C that means the actual temperature on the land could well be above 38 39°C depending upon the humidity and the relative humidity of that particular air. Now let us take a look at the question. What was the question asking you? Which of the following statements best reflects the implication? What will be the impact if the temperature is this high of the above said report? Peninsula India will most likely suffer from flooding, tropical cyclones and drought. Correct? Because higher temperature will lead to the shift in the monsunal trough as well will lead to the shift of uh basically the cyclonic low pressure and the ITCZ over the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea as well. So it will lead to increased frequency of these events. The survival of animals including humans will be affected as shedding of their body heat through perspiration becomes difficult. In general due to higher temperature the biodiversity is impacted. So that is again basically correct right through perspiration rather. So that is basically correct. So in this particular case the answer is going to be C both one and okay I hope this is again something that you would have marked correct. Now then consider the following countries. Now this is again one of those factual questions which you are expected to basically leave if you don't know. United Kingdom, Denmark, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil. How many of the above countries have more than four times? So now if you know it, you know it. If you have ratified that list, fair enough. Otherwise, no guilt in leaving these kind of questions. Now if you take a look at it, UK has basically got close to around 10 time zone. When we talk about Denmark around five, New Zealand around three, Australia around eight and Brazil has got around four. Okay, it is asking how many of them have more than four. So, three of them will fit the bill. Okay, so the correct answer in this case is going to be C. That is B. Okay. Now then a conceptual question about international dateine. A simple conceptual question that is anadir in Siberia and non in a Alaska are a few kilometers from each other but when people are waking up and getting set for breakfast in these different days. This is simply asking you that eastern part of Russia or Siberia and Alaska they follow different time zone. right or different dates because they lie on either side of the date line. So Alaska is lagging behind whereas in the case of eastern Russia you will experience a day which is ahead. So the first statement is correct. Second statement when it is Monday in Anadir that is in Siberia when it is Monday it is Tuesday in no if it is Monday in Siberia means the new day has come whereas Alaska is still experiencing the previous day right so it should be basically uh Sunday in no not due so here this is correct so the correct answer in this case is basically that is one only. Now please um uh the comment by deductivist please understand in this answer or in this question there was no need to know where anadir is there was no need to know where gnome is. This is just to divert your attention. If you are feeling that I did not know the location of anadir and hence I did not solve this question that is incorrect or that is a wrong approach. If you know where Siberia is, if you know where Alaska is, and if you know that the international date line passes through the center of it, that is more than sufficient to solve this question. UPSC does not expect you to know the location of Anadir or Gnome. It is not a map- based question. It is a simple logic based question regarding the international date line. What happens when you cross the international date line from east to west or from west to east? Again, basic NCRT question. Yes, it is a kind of just think about it like a madeup name. Yes, absolutely. Yes. Second statement is basically that when it is Monday in Anadir. Now at that point of time will there be Tuesday that is would the date have already advanced in Alaska? No. Alaska would be one day behind right. So here uh we have talked about it with the help of example also that in Alaska if it is 14th of April, Siberia would be 15th of April. So Siberia is one day ahead of Alaska. So if it is Monday in Anadi at that point of time Alaska should be one day behind that is basically Sunday not used. That is why the second statement is incorrect. Now consider the following pairs. Now in this the country and the resourcerich region. So Botswana very large diamond mines were in news last year. Correct. Chile lithium part of the ABC lithium triangle which is there Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. This is correct. Indonesia also has got one of the largest nickel reserves in the world. So this is also correct. So how many of them are correctly matched? The answer is C. That is all of them are correctly matched here. Okay. Now reconsider second statement. My dear, it is not for me to reconsider the answer. The second statement in the previous question was incorrect. And I've told you the reason why right now when we move from west to east, west to east of what? West to east of the international date line. Right? So you gain a day. That means when you gain a day, what do you do in your calendar? You subtract. Isn't it Mohammad Z? So you subtract. So if it is Monday in Siberia, you cross from west to east. you will subtract that is it will be Sunday right not Tuesday that is why the second statement is incorrect okay now this is regarding the region and the country where it is situated now you have Malora Malora is a part in the Boleric island now this is under the sovereignty of Spain right so Spain is the one where this is situated Normandy Mandi normandi you would know from World War II. Now this is situated in France. So it is incorrectly matched again. And Sardinia Sardinia is present near the Sicilian coastline of the Italian peninsula. So this is also incorrectly matched. There you have the very famous sardines. The fishes they are present. So that is the region of Sardinia. So how many of the above rows the given information is correctly matched? The answer is none of the above. Okay. So I hope geography overall would be doable and if you have attended the sessions or if you have just been dedicated enough in the portion of NCERTT you would have had a good time. barring two to three factual questions and those two to three factual questions even UPSC doesn't expect you to I'm expecting most of you if you have been serious if you have been regular even in our marathon sessions you would have basically managed to do easily 11 to 12 questions out of the portion of geography which is a good chunk right now having said that before we move into the portion of environment and ecology now here if you take a look at We have basic realized that the there is a large amount of importance of building your foundation, building your concepts and for that we have the GS foundation batch. Now this batch will be offered at 199 plus 12 month free extension. Use the code is English get additional discounts and the top educators in English medium will be there to guide you. We'll be there to mentor you. to join this batch and attend the sessions. Get your concepts as clear as they can be because as you can see with the questions as well if your concepts are clear you would not have faced any problem. If you would have been chasing facts as many of the people around in the market would guide you to right ratification technique if you would have followed you would have found this paper difficult. So that is why do take this course and do increase your chances for the next year if not this year. Now we come to the C portion of environment ecology. Environment ecology as has always been the case is is the one where your understanding of the static plus your current affairs complete the bill. Now this year it was slightly unique in the sense you did not have any questions from national parks and sanctuaries or for that matter tiger reserves and so on. So again that signifies or cements the fact that you don't need to rify national parks and sanctuaries. You don't need to rify the biosphere and the tiger reserves out there. Only take a look at the places in use, the species in use and again all those animal behaviors etc that UPSC was veering into it has refrained from that current affairs and basic questions right so few of the questions were factual which could be ignored around 10 to 11 questions could be solved here also. So let us start with the question. So here the 11th question basically studies indicate that carbon dioxide emissions from cement industry account for more than 5% of global carbon emission. This is correct. cement industry. If you recall our discussion on the carbon border adjustment mechanism, the EU, the border tax which EU was implementing for all the goods made out of non-EU nations which are carbon inensive industries. Cement along with iron and steel and fertilizer was one of those major carbon inensive industries. So cement industry is one of those major emitters out there. Then after that basically silica bearing clay is mixed with limestone while manufacturing CO. Now in this is correct and in this process it produces CO as well as releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is also correct. Then in the manufacturing process of cement limestone is converted into lime that is COO during clinker production for cement manufacturing. This also in its process produces CO2. So again if you knew the process fair enough did not by some assumption you could get it correct but you could have also left this. So here 2 and three both of them produce CO2 and that is why cement industry is one of the more most carbon intensive. Yes manant we had discussed this as well. So here statement two and three are correct and both of them explain statement one. Okay. Yes Manisha. Perfect. Now clinker means small noodles which are there. Now consider the following statement. This was about conference of parties number 20 not the Baku one the previous one the one which was held in Dubai UAE. Now COP28 UN CCC uh UN CCC India refrained from signing the declaration on climate and health. That is correct. India US they refrained from signing the declaration on climate and health. Now first statement is correct. Now the COP28 declaration on climate and health is a binding declaration. Can a declaration on in climate change you have a conference and a convention of climate change. There's a declaration on health. Can that ever be binding in its nature? Never. Many of the conventions in themselves are not binding. So if you consider that a declaration in that convention is binding, it can never be the right. So the second statement is in right. Third statement, if India's health sector is decarbonized, the resilience of the healthare system may be compromised. This correct? Because you see when you go for decarbonization there is an impact in tropical regions like India where the cooling requirements are very very high. So as a consequence when we have to carry out the vaccines medicines etc to be stored at low temperature decarbonization can lead to immediate impact in the semi-urban and rural area. So India's healthcare requirement can be damaged slightly. So the third statement is correct and this is in fact one of the reasons why India has not signed the declaration on health and climate. So here statement two basically is incorrect. Now in this case the correct answer is going to be basically C. That is only one of the statement two and three is correct and that explains statement one. India didn't sign the global methane pledge is correct. Again this is something that we have discussed in the classes. We have basically discussed about the outcomes of conference of parties number 28 uh deductivist. So there we have discussed it that about the portion of declaration on climate and health and basically in the news analysis also you would find this right which tells you all of this tells you what be regular be disciplined there is no reason why you can't clear this exam. Now, article six of the Paris agreement on climate change is frequently discussed in global discussions on sustainable development and climate change. That is correct. Article six deals with the basic requirement of carbon markets, basic requirements of fulfilling their own obligations regarding how to fight climate change that is the NDC's all of that is covered under article six. So article six of the Paris agreement on climate change sets out the principles of carbon markets. This correct the carbon credit certificate. Correct Rakkesh. Now which one uh third statement article six of the Paris agreement on climate change intends to promote intercountry non-market strategies to reach their climate targets. Because you have to understand when we talk about climate change there are multiple different variables which are involved. One is carbon mechanism, other is let's suppose emission trading etc. Right? So basically the third statement the second statement all of them are correct and all of them end up explaining the requirement of statement one. Now again one of the factual questions which one of the following launched the nature solutions finance hub for Asia and the Pacific naturebased solutions in order to combat the case of climate change climate resilience. So this is something which was launched by the Asian Development Bank. This factual. If you know it, fair enough. If you did not know it, don't be harsh on yourself. This was one of those random curve balls that UPSC throws at you. There was another one which was even more random. Right now with reference to direct air capture and emerging technology, which of the following statements is or are correct? Direct carbon capture that that direct air capture for example that is about carbon capture and storage right carbon sequestration. Now if you carry out carbon sequestration you will basically also be able to ensure other utilization of that carbon product. So it can be used as a way of carbon sequestration. Correct? It can be a valuable approach for plastic production and food processing. How? For plastic production also you need carbon. Right. So the carbon that you have stored that can be used as an energy source also. It can be then used in multiple ways to enhance the strength of the plastic. So it can be used for plastic production in aviation also it can be used to produce sustainable aviation fuel. So here create synthetic lowcarbon fuel. So this is also correct. So in this all of them are basically correct. Okay. Now regarding peacock tarantula covered in newspaper analysis again guys a spider right? Consider the following statements. Now it is an omnivore crustation. It is not a crustation. Spiders are not under the category of crustaceians. Incorrect. Its natural habitat in India is only limited to some forest area. It is typically to be found in the region around Andhra Pradesh in the region of the peninsula plateau dry deciduous forests that is the area where you will find them in the region of dry decided. So here it is correct in its natural habitat it is an aroreal species correct spends a lot of time on trees rather than crawling on the ground. So this is also basically going to be correct. So in this case the correct answer is going to be D that is 2 and 3 only. Okay. Now the next question consider the following statements. Carbon dioxide emission in India are less than 0.5 tons per capita. This is incorrect. Now this was again a factual question but then it has been in discussion throughout the last year. So this is it. In terms of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, India ranks second in as Asia-Pacific. This is correct. After China, then you have the listing and the position of India. Electricity and heat producers are basically amongst the largest sources of CO2 emissions. Now bas uh throughout the last year you had multiple different reports, emission gap report etc. The living planet report all of them indicated about the emissions right and this is where the question is being coming from and this is where you have to solve the question. So in this case the 18 you have both two and three that is correct and one is it. Next question factual based on the crops you know it you know it if you don't know it don't beat around the bush and don't punish yourself for this. Cassava it is typically to be grown in the region around Nigeria and the portion of central Africa. It is a woody shrub. Ginger is a herb with a pseudo stem. That is it is not a proper stem but actually a pseudo stem. That is correct. Palabar spinach herbaceious climbber that is correct. Mint is not an annual shrub. This is incorrect. And papaya is not a woody shrub. So these two are incorrectly matched. The top three are in this correctly match. So in this case the correct answer is going to be B that is the three. Okay. Now the next question this is about the reuse recycle aspect. Consider the following statements. Circular economy. Now circular economy is about recycling the same materials. So when you have circular economy reduces the emissions of the greenhouse gas. Yes. For example, iron and steel where you utilize the previous uh scrap of steel then basically you don't have to use that much amount of uh greenhouse gas emission or you don't have to use that much raw materials either. The circular economy reduces the emissions of greenhouse gas. First statement is correct. Circular economy reduces the use of raw materials as again correct because you're using the scrap and the previously or discarded waste. Circular economy reduces wastage in the production process. Again a very intuitive and a simple follow-up statement. So that also is correct. So in this the simple answer is a that is all of them are correct and two and three explain statement one correctly. Now artificial way of causing rainfall to reduce air pollution makes use of which particle? Now uh or basically when you have air pollution now air pollution has been in use in Delhi. Now in Delhi there was a mulling over of the fact that whether we should create artificial rains or not. There was a study carried out by IIT Kpur and this is something that we have observed as a factor of cloud seeding which was in news throughout last year. So silver iodide, dry ice, potassium iodide they are typically used for creating artificial. Absolutely correct. Now the last question which organization has enacted the nature restoration law to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss? This was brought by the European Union. We have covered this in newspaper analysis. Now European Union had brought this in order to bring about a greater accountability in terms of climate action and the biodiversity degradation which has happened. So this is again by the way a factual question. You did not know it no issues but I hope the rest of the questions you would be able to solve that. So overall if you would have seen the portion of the environment ecology you had around four of the factual questions. In geography we discussed three of the factual questions. you did not know them. Fair enough. Don't beat yourself for it. If you could get the other questions correct, more than sufficient to clear the cut off. So that is where we'll end the discussion for the portion of geography and environment. Now I hand it over to Sarmat and Chetan to make the further announcement. Thank you. Hello students, welcome back. We have Chetan Sur with us. We will be discussing questions related to international relations and some miscellaneous questions which have been asked in this prelims examination. Then in the last lag we will have Himmaab Bindhu ma'am discussing all the important questions related to science and technology. But before we proceed further an important take on seesat you we all of us we have received mails from the students. There are some students who have scored 114 120 126 132 109 in GS paper 1 but they are worried about CAD score. So considering the fact that seesat may be difficult as compared to last year but please listen to me carefully even if seesat was tough whether it was or not keep that aside if after checking all the answers if you're scoring 85 plus although I told you right at the start that the cutoff we are predicting is anywhere in the range of 92 to 95 but if you're scoring 85 plus I urge you I beseech you I beg beg you start preparing for the mains examination because you never know if UPSC is going to drop some of these questions or some of the questions would be incorrectly answered or the answer key would be slightly different difficult different from what it should be so may be a determining factor in this year's prelims examination but again you have to keep in mind that it is only qualifying in nature all you need to do is score 66 if you do that your GS paper will be evaluated and whether you score 66 or 199.66 doesn't matter because these marks would not be counted. What's your take on seesat? is that I think in the last few years UPSC has really made it very challenging especially I was looking at the quant questions uh the questions on numbers numericals they have become increasingly tougher even and comprehension has always been lengthier it takes lot of time as well I had few students messaging me that the paper was very lengthy they find it difficult to even cover 40 questions I think that is where the challenge lies but I think this is not the time to panic continue to focus on your studies if you have scored as you said 85 90 plus in GS I think they should focus on mates because or else they'll get disrupted and in any case the results would be declared say 3 weeks later or a month later and this is the time that you should not waste exactly thinking about what if what if not right and this is the time where you can maximize your output when it comes to the mains examination because in any case if you're appearing next year this one month is going to be extremely crucial for you when you are focusing right on the mains exam examination and students can carry forward the momentum as well. If they worry about seesat score and break their studies for 3 weeks that will completely break their momentum and to start again from end of June after the results will become very difficult. So I think they should continue to focus on their studies. Uh we will also be conducting the live analysis of all the 80 questions asked in sees immediately after this live stream is over. Our seesat faculty Rishi Baravasar would be discussing all the 80 questions and uh I have had a communication a conversation with him as well and according to him those students uh who were part of our program taught by sir they would find it easier uh to qualify for the CESA to score way ahead of the cutoff. Over to you Chetan sir please discuss IR questions as quickly as possible so that hea ma'am can discuss the science and technology question. Thank you. Thank you. So before we begin, I have a very important announcement. Now you have an opportunity to enroll for an academyy's online classroom program at a discounted price of just 199. This will give you access to the live and recorded lectures along with the study material, the test series and mentorship and doubt resolution sessions. to avail this offer which will also give you up to 12 months of free extension. All you have to do is enter the code IAS English. On the subscription page you might see a different fee but once you enter the code IAS English you will be able to subscribe at just 199 with up to free month up to free 12 months of extension. Now let's begin with the questions that had appeared from international relations. See in the last 3 to four years IR has been very important in prelims. In the last 3 years we have seen around 11 to 14 questions come from international relations. But this time there has been a slight change from international relations. We have had just around eight questions along with a couple of questions from internal security as well. So now I'll be discussing all these questions, giving you the answer key, a quick explanation and I'll also cover some of the miscellaneous questions. As you know UPSC is unpredictable public service commission. It has brought back the questions on sports prices etc. which we had seen a couple of years ago. Usually these questions they are not up to UPSC standard. We see them in SSE exams or group B exams. But as I said UPSC does throw these bouncers. Now I know many students they start asking sir should I start reading sports news. Should I start focusing on these factual information from newspapers because UPSC has asked such statements this time. Please understand every year there will be such questions coming in the paper in some or the other way either extremely factual questions or questions such as questions related to books questions related to prizes questions related to sports which you don't often study for UPSC civil services now what do you do when such questions come please understand these questions are hardly two or three or four at the maximum even if you leave those questions you still have plenty of other questions questions to solve. I'm saying this because it's not worth putting so much effort to read about every prize, every book or every sporting event. If you're if you're an enthusiast, if you like chess, if you like cocoa or if you like cricket and if a question comes and if you know the information, you can always answer that. But putting extra effort for that, I don't think is recommended. So don't panic. Especially if any 2026 aspirants are watching, don't think sports questions will come all the time. UPS will never ask you 10 or 15 sports related questions. It's hardly two or three at the maximum. So even you can even choose to skip them if you want. But I'm saying you can at least answer one or two out of them with a calculated guess and leave the rest. So with this let's get started. Question number 36. Consider the following statements. India has joined the mineral security partnership as a member. India is a resourcerich country in all 30 critical minerals that it has identified. The parliament in 2023 has amended the mines and minerals development and regulation act 1957 empowering the central government to exclusively auction mining lease and composite license for certain critical minerals. Three statements were given. You have to check which of these are correct. This development is actually slightly old. It's a topic which has been picked from 2023 but mineral security partnership was in the news regularly. Even in the last 12 months there was lot of news articles related to critical minerals and India's plan to procure critical minerals. That's why the topic remains relevant though the development itself is slightly old. The Mines and Minerals act was amended in 2023 when India notified 30 critical minerals gave out the list of 30 critical minerals and it introduced a very important change in the law. That's why this question has been picked. Now I'm happy to tell you that I had covered this exact same topic almost lineto line in my YouTube classes on 14th July in the Hindu analysis. You can look at the screenshot here. I had discussed this very same topic the 30 critical minerals that India had notified by amending the mines and minerals act. So statement one which is related to mineral security partnership this is connected to India US relations. So given the high-profile visits of prime minister Modi to US back to back first to meet Biden and then to meet Trump definitely India US relations was in the news and had covered this topic as well. with regard to mineral security partnership. So any student who knows about MSP and who has read about the mines and minerals development act amendment which was done should be able to answer this very easily. Now going back to the question statement one is definitely correct. India was added as a member of mineral security partnership. Initially we weren't. It was primarily a western group where US and its allies, European allies primarily had formed this grouping to diversify the critical mineral supply chain to reduce their dependency on China. But later India was also added. India joined as a member. Second statement, I just told you that we have notified a list of 30 critical minerals. But is India resource rich in all these 30 critical minerals? The answer is no. All you have to do is apply common sense to answer this question. Now if you know which are these 30 critical minerals or even if you don't know this list I'm sure you will know that lithium, nickel, cobalt etc critical minerals and India is not blessed with these resources. We don't have enough resources. We are almost 100% dependent on imports for certain critical and rare earth elements. Right? So the new vision of India the new policy which India has brought out for critical strategic minerals is focused on procuring these minerals from abroad scouting for mines abroad. We have set up a public sector organization called Kabil Khan Vesh India Limited to hunt for these mines and to procure those resources for India. So that logic will tell you that second statement is incorrect. India is not resource rich in all the 30 critical minerals that have been notified. Third statement is correct. The amendment has empowered the central government to exclusively auction any critical mines which are present in the country. So 1 and three option C becomes the correct answer. I hope all of you answered this correctly. So these questions they appear to be very simple on the face of it. If you look at the topic right you might think it's a easy question but when you read each and every statement if you don't have the clarity it might become difficult to answer them. Right? That's why I'm saying IR questions some were easy but some were relatively moderate. Let's look at question 41. This was an easy one and also expected as well. You basically need to know the members of NATO to answer this question. I don't think I have to tell you why NATO is important. Why was it in the news? We have been discussing this across our YouTube sessions. Even our in our plus classes students who have attended my class will tell that how many times we have discussed NATO with regard to Russia Ukraine war uh with regard to the essential tensions between the west and Russia and also NATO was regularly being reported in the news as new members were added Sweden and Finland right that's why Sweden has been mentioned in this question so six countries have been given you need to identify which of these countries are members of NATO Now in the class as you can see in these screenshots I had discussed specifically about Sweden joining NATO later Finland joining NATO as well. I had explained the eastward expansion of NATO in the class and how it became a trigger for Russia to invade Ukraine. So then I had given the entire list of members of NATO. So to answer this question you need some factual knowledge. There's no other way to answer this. You should remember the 32 members of NATO. But there is one small hack. At least one country can be easily eliminated. Austria can be eliminated. If you know that countries like Austria, Switzerland, they have a neutral foreign policy. Even during cold war period, they remain neutral. So if you know that concept from international relations, you can eliminate Austria. Now if I take out one, then it entirely depends on your factual knowledge. Serbia is not a NATO member. Serbia is not part of it. In fact, Serbia is closer to Russia. Again, if you understand geopolitics well, you would know that countries like Hungary, Serbia, they're closer to Russia. So, they would never consider joining NATO. So, by applying this common sense, you can take out Austria, Sweden, Austria and Serbia. Sweden has recently joined as I told you. And the other three are members. Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia. So 2, three, five and six they are members. The correct answer is only four out of the six countries given are members of NATO. So option B is the right answer. Next question 52. Consider the following statements with regard to BIMC. Now you tell me how many times we've discussed BIMEC. I've covered BIMEC in detail in the plus class while covering regional groupings including its establishment, its structure and the members. I've discussed BIM STECH in UKAN sessions as well where we cover current affairs on a regular basis. I've discussed BIMECH in the recent coner prelims in the marathon session that I took where I covered all the important international organizations and groupings. This was probably one of the easier questions but however look at the pattern of this question. After a long time UPSC has brought back a question with four statements not three not two but four statements. So to answer such questions ideally you should have enough in-depth knowledge about the topic because or else you can't easily take out or eliminate some of the statements from the equation right but luckily this question is a elimination type question UPSC has been bringing back elimination method as well now let's look at the statements and evaluate them is a regional organization consisting of seven member states till January 2025 this statement is absolutely right includes few South Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Then there are two Southeast Asian countries, Myanmar and Thailand. So 5 + 2, seven countries. Statement one is correct. It came into existence with the signing of Dhaka declaration in 1999. Is this correct? Absolutely no. This is wrong. It was established in 1997 with the signing of Bangkok declaration, not Dhaka declaration. I had covered this in my classes. You can see in the screenshot here. This is from the sorry this is from the plus classes that I had taken where I had discussed the establishment of BIMC through Bangkok declaration. The members which were founding members of BIME we also covered the sectors because this is a multis sectoral organization focused on sectorbased cooperation. I told you that each member country it basically chairs one of the sectors like India is the chair for the security sector that deals with counterterrorism, tackling organized crime, disaster management etc. So based on these facts, this question was given by UPSC. The second statement is wrong. Third statement says Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal are founding members of BIMC. Initially you might think this statement is right but please be careful. This statement is also incorrect. Nepal was not a founding member. When it was founded this group was known as BIST EC. B for Bangladesh, I for India, S for Sri Lanka, T for Thailand. These were the four founding members of this group. Later Myanmar joined and it became BIMC. Then Nepal and Bhutan joined much later and it got the new name that is BIMECH as we know it today. So Nepal was not a founding member. Last statement says in BIMstead the sector of tourism is led by India. This is also incorrect. The sub sector of tourism is actually led by Nepal. Nepal is the chair for culture, tourism and people-to-people relations. India chairs the security sector. As I just told you two, three four are wrong. one only. Option D becomes your correct answer. Coming to question 55. Consider the following statements regarding AI action summit which was recently held in Paris in February 2025. This again is a topic which I had covered in the IR marathon and the recent IR current affairs sessions that I had taken up. I discussed each and every point. In fact, both the statements are almost an exact replica of what we had discussed in class. The first statement says AI action summit 2025 was co-chared with India. This is correct. India and France they co-chared the AI action summit. This was the third such summit which was being held. It was building upon the advances at Lechley Park when the first AI safety summit was held in 2023 in the United Kingdom. Then in 2024 the soul summit was held in South Korea and now in Paris the third summit took place few months ago and in fact prime minister Modi participated in the event as well. So it was clearly in current affairs. So statement one is correct. Statement two is wrong. I've explained this very same point. If you look at the screenshots here, look at the point given here. The statement which was adopted at Paris was not signed by United States and United Kingdom. US and UK they opposed the final statement adopted and they did not sign it and clearly explained this point as well. The second statement is incorrect. US and UK have not signed the declaration. So what's the right answer? Option A, one only. Now coming to question 57. This again is related to a grouping. See this time there is something new about IR questions. Usually IR questions were almost entirely based on current affairs. This time current events have inspired these topics but questions are more factual based on the static part. So if you don't know the background of an organization or the structure of an organization, it might become difficult to answer them. That is one slight change in pattern that we are seeing. 16th brick summit was held under the chair of Russia in Kazan. This is again a topic which we have covered repeatedly in the plus classes as well because under India China when we discussed the Ladak military standoff I had mentioned very clearly that we resolved the standoff last year during the 16th brick summit at Kazan when PM Modi and Chinese Premier Zinping worked out the final arrangement to deescalate and disengage in Lada and to resume normal patrolling. We've also discussed the members because recently bricks has gone through a lot of expansion. Many new countries have joined the group and the latest member to have joined is Indonesia. In January 2025, Indonesia became a full member of bricks. So one and two are correct but statement three is incorrect. Many students were telling me they got this wrong and they're really regretting it because they didn't read the question carefully. Now let's look at the statement where they made the mistake. The statement says the theme of the summit was strengthening multiculturalism for just global development and security. You know what UPSC has done? They have played a smart trick with the aspirates because in the exam hall you are under pressure. You may not read the entire statement. You may not comprehend each and every word. The theme was actually strengthening multilateralism. students who did not pay attention right they thought it's the right statement and they have marked all three statements to be right or they essentially got the wrong answer because there's a world of difference between multilateralism and multiculturalism right so three is wrong one and two becomes your right answer option A is the correct answer next question 72 again a very expected topic INSTC but here there is again a confusion UPSC has given two very close options. So let's discuss this quickly. India is one of the founding members of international north south transport corridor which is a multimodal transport corridor which will connect which of these regions essentially it's focused on the root of INSTC which countries and regions are connected through this proposed project. Now in the classes in the plus class I have covered INSTC detail. It's a project which goes back to 1990s proposed between India, Iran and Russia. Later Azarbaijan was also part of it to connect India's western ports through the Arabian Sea with Iranian ports like Chabahar port and Badharabas and transport the goods via road rail network in Iran to the Caspian Sea where Iran, Azharbai and Russia have built inland navigation network and transport the goods through the Caspian Sea into Russia and later towards Europe towards eastern and northern Europe. So this corridor can benefit the nearby regions as well. It can benefit West Asia as well. It can benefit Central Asia as well. There are few countries from Central Asia, West Asia which are members of INSDC as well. Now let's go back and look at the options. See B and C you can definitely take it out of the equation. It doesn't link India with Southeast Asia and it does not connect India with China. Rule out B and C. There is a tight contest and a lot of debate and controversy between A and D. But let me give you the clarity on this. See on one hand you might think UPSC has again made a blunder with this question. Like last year you might have seen that UPSC has given a wrong answer. It has given wrong questions and three questions were taken out eliminated entirely because see A is saying it connects India to Central Asia to Europe via Iran. This seems to be correct on the face of it and many argue that even official documents mention central Asia in the context of INSTC but I have a different argument here. I differ with this argument. I feel D must be the right answer. See as I said UPSC is being very ambiguous. Ideally it should not do this. Right? In fact giving a confusing question is different but giving two statements which might have the right interpretation. Right? One might argue very well that A is the right answer. They can even bring strong evidence for that. I can equally argue D is the right answer because see both appear to be correct. But I have a critical point here. I feel D is the right answer. Why? Because INSTC when it was conceptualized even now when the idea is discussed though it will link with Central Asia, it might benefit Central Asia, it's not explicitly connected with Central Asian countries. It passes through Caspian Sea but doesn't connect with Kazakhstan, doesn't connect with Turkmanistan. Right? You might say sir it links with Europe via Iran. I agree that is correct. But INSTC has never been conceptualized to be a direct route to Central Asia. In the future, yes, it might. It might be extended. But as of now, I've gone through official documents of Ministry of External Affairs PIB as well. Most likely the correct answer would be D. This seems to be more appropriate. This is more justifiable. All right. So, either A or D. But my strong sense is option D. As I said, UPSC should not have done this. There should have been a clear distinction between the two options. As I said, anybody can argue both A and D might be correct. But again, based on very verifiable solid information, I can vouch for option D to be the right answer. But let's wait and watch. So, A or D. A/ D could be possible but I strongly feel based on my experience that D must be the right answer. That is the right interpretation. If UPSC says otherwise then what can we say? Next question number 77. By the way do let me know what you think about this question. Do you think UPSC has again messed up by giving ambiguous statements to options which seem very close to each other which might be defended as the right answer? Let me know what do you think. Will UPSC emit this question entirely. Let's wait and watch. Question 77 related to IBRD, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Very straightforward factual question. See, IBRD is the lending arm of the World Bank. It's part of the Bretonwood system was set up after the Second World War in uh 1944 to reconstruct the European economy and essentially enable the global economy. So statement one says it provides loans and guarantees to middle- inome countries. Absolutely correct. That is the primary role of IBRD as a world bank arm. It's responsible to give out loans to middle- inome countries, low-income countries to help in their development. But second statement is incorrect. It works single-handedly to help developing countries to reduce poverty. See, it does help developing nations to tackle poverty. But it's not the only organization which is doing that. There is IMF as well. There are different arms of the World Bank. There are other global lending organizations which also provide loans to developing nations to reduce poverty. This is where the statement goes wrong. It is not the only organization trying to reduce poverty in developing nations. Second statement is definitely wrong. Third statement is correct. I just told you it was established after the second world war to rebuild Europe the war ravaged continent and the economy. So one and three option C will become your right answer. Coming to 179, consider the following countries. This is something I had covered repeatedly in my plus classes. The question is asking with which of these countries has India recently interlin the UPI crossborder payment systems. India has been pushing the UPI on a global scale offering to interlink the payment systems and we have launched this with United Arab Emirates as part of the comprehensive economic cooperation agreement that we have which is a free trade agreement. India has integrated the UPI payments with UAE which is a key trading partner. So it will benefit the traders, the students, tourists as well to make swift crossber payments and reduce the transaction fee as well. We have launched UPI in France as well when PM Modi visited France, right? UPI was rolled out in France and as well as in Singapore. All these were in news. For example, last year I had covered PM Modi's visit to Singapore in detail in my plus classes. You can see here I have specifically mentioned India integrating its UPI with Singapore's digital payment system. So during the discussion I had mentioned UAE, France, even Sri Lanka and Nepal where India's UPI has been extended. So Germany and Bangladesh can be taken out. So 1 2 and four only three option B is your right answer. Now coming to the next couple of questions which are actually linked with security and sometimes with economy as well. This question question 33 this is based on few arms of the government essentially couple of law enforcement intelligence agencies and one department or a directorate uh and you basically they have been matched with their function and the ministry which they work under. So again very factual so director of directorate of enforcement which is the ED and directorate of revenue intelligence the DRI. So Shamsar might argue this is part of economy. I agree with that. But this is part of security as well because in internal security we have a topic to learn about security agencies, law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies of India to learn about their mandate to learn about their structure. So this is both tied to economy partly to security as well. The enforcement directorate mainly tackles money laundering. It tackles foreign exchange violations. It also deals with fugitive economic offenders. But however it's not under the home ministry. It is under the department of revenue which is under the finance ministry. So one is incorrect. Second and third are absolutely correct. The DRI which is both a intelligence and law enforcement agency enforces the provisions of customs act to tackle smuggling all kinds of smuggling and it is under the department of revenue of finance ministry. The directorate general of systems and data management. This is very vague. Everybody would know about ED and DRRI but the third one is very very vague. So this question that ways becomes a little challenging. So this directorate of general systems and data management it does carry out computerization big data analytics. It integrates technology uh into the work that it carries out and it is under the department of revenue itself under the finance ministry. So all three are under department of revenue. That's why one is incorrect, two and three are right. Correct answer will be option B only two. Next question 64 from defense security linked with IR because we have discussed this in our IR classes as well. On the left we have different types of aircraft military aircraft which are in the news matched with the type of aircraft. You need to check which of the pairs are correct. The Dornne 228 is it a maritime patrol aircraft? Absolutely yes. In the plus classes while covering India's relations with Maldives Maicius I had clearly mentioned that India has donated the Dornne reconnaissance aircraft for maritime patrolling. You can see that in the screenshot here. India has donated the Dornne both to Maldives and Maicius even to Sichels to help in carrying out maritime reconnaissance and surveillance of their exclusive economic zone. The C17 Globe Master. Even this I had discussed under India US defense relations. The C7 Globe Master is often considered as a flying elephant because of its massive size. It can carry hundreds of troops or civilians. It's primarily used during disasters, during evacuation missions, and even during actual conflict. It can carry a heavy weapon and payload as well and deliver them to the front lines. It can easily fit artillery, guns, even a battle tank or a helicopter inside its belly. It's that massive in size. And the advantage is that it can land and take off in very short runways as well. It's a strategic airlift aircraft that we have procured from the US built by Boeing. It's a military transport aircraft. One and three are absolutely right. Second one is wrong. The IL76, right? It's essentially a Russian transport aircraft. It's not a supersonic combat aircraft. It's not a supersonic aircraft at all. And it's definitely not used for combat. It's primarily transport aircraft. All right. And it is also used as awok when the radars are installed on it. It's a transport aircraft essentially. So two is wrong. Correct answer would be B only two. Now coming to the last section, the miscellaneous section where questions on prize uh questions on sports were asked. Let's take a quick look and I'll end the discussion and I'll hand it over to him ma'am. Who amongst the following are members of the jury to select the Gandhi Peace Prize. The Gandhi Peace Prize jury includes the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the leader of opposition. 234 not the president. So 234 option C is your correct answer. Very factual. Question 56. The United Nations declares these international years which usually students are not expected to learn and remember because there are too many but UPSC again has asked this very factual question. Trust me these are one-off questions. Don't think every time such questions will come. All the four are correct. International year of women farmer 2026. International year of sustainable resilience tourism 2027. International year of peace and trust which is this year 2025. International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defense 2029. All the four are correct. Option D is your right answer. Very factual. Usually not expected from UPSC. Next, the next two questions is something I really have a problem with. Uh I really hope UPSC doesn't ask such questions because you're not expected to know such essential facts about sports. But what to do? In the last few years, UPSC has been doing this every now and then. This was on the Cocoa World Cup. The first ever Coco World Cup which was hosted by India last year. It was held in Delhi. Statement one is correct. Now some of you might say I'm being too harsh on UPSC. You might say Coco is a sport closely linked to India's cultural heritage. What's wrong in asking a question on this? See even that is okay. I have no problem with it. My problem is with statement two and three. In statement two and three, what UPSC has done, it has interchanged the scores. In the men's category, India beat Nepal with a score of 54 to 36. In the women category, the Indian women team beat Nepal with a score of 78 to 40. So, UPSC has interchanged it. Now, you tell me which student will remember this. It's an absolutely unnecessary fact if it was related to the game itself, right? The features of the game or the history of the game. Still, the question would make some sense. But this question again, as I said, it's a one-off bouncer. You can even skip such questions. Right? Answer is A1 only. Coming to the last question related to chess. Last year there was a massive development. Bukkesh right? He became the world's youngest winner. But however statement one is wrong. Why? Because he didn't win against Russian player. He won against the Chinese player Ding Lenin not against the Russian opponent. So one is incorrect. Statement two is right. Abimmanu Mishra an American chess player holds the world record for becoming the youngest ever grandmaster. So option B2 only becomes the right answer. This completes my discussion of IR questions, security questions and miscellaneous questions. Now before I hand over to him ma'am, please note for those of you who are preparing for mains who are expecting a score of 85 and above 90 and above, this is the right time to get started on your mains preparation. And we know that when it comes to means preparation, the biggest challenge for all students is answer writing. So we are coming up with a curated program to help you ace answer writing to develop the skill of answer writing. So we are launching conquer mains 2025 with 50 live sessions by all our top educators with 100 plus hours of classes and we will not only cover the static and the concepts in the background of these key topics for mains we will also integrate the current affairs plus you will get access to our UKAN classes which I was mentioning for 3 months from June to August you will be able to access all the current affairs sessions under academyy's current affairs navigator so you can revise the entire year's current affairs and more importantly the biggest USP of this program is dedicated answer writing in every class after explaining the topics we will conduct live answer writing. We will check your answers evaluate your answers personally not by some mentor or subject expert but the teachers the educators we will check your papers give you a feedback and help you improve your answer writing. So if interested you can enroll for the program the link will be shared in the description box below. This completes my discussion. So just hang on for a couple of minutes. Hima will take over to cover the science and tech questions. All the best. Hello and welcome to an academy a one-stop destination for all English medium civil service aspirants. Let us now continue with the analysis of science and technology questions from this year. I hope I'm audible visible. Is my audio video clear? Before we proceed with the discussion, a very important announcement. You can now enroll for an academy online classes for just 19,9.99 plus 12 months free extension. To avail this offer, you will have to use the code IAS English. Let us now continue with science and technology questions. The very first question being okay. Consider the following types of uh vehicles. Full battery electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, fuel cell electric hybrid vehicles. One is completely EV, the other one is hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The third one is fuel cell electric uh hybrid uh vehicles. Okay. How many of the above statements are considered as alternative power train vehicles? Okay. How many are considered as alternative powertrain vehicles? The right answer is yes. You can message me the right answer. The first answer is C. All of them can be considered as alternative power train vehicles. All the three. Okay. So let us see the explanation. Okay. Uh to answer this question first of all we'll have to know what do you mean by alternative power trains? Alternative powertrain vehicles are the vehicles which are not based exclusively on internal combustion engine. What do you mean by an internal combustion engine? Internal combustion engine is about petrol, diesel, fossil fuels we use in that. Okay. it based on the principle called burning or combustion internal combustion. So any vehicle which is based okay not uh based exclusively on the internal combustion engines. Now look at this first statement battery electric vehicles do they depend on internal combustion? They do not depend on the internal combustion. So they are okay alternative power train vehicles because they do not depend on the internal combustion correct hydrogen fuel cells. Okay. So what is basically a hydrogen fuel cell? Okay. As you can see in this screenshot we have discussed about the hydrogen fuels in our complete one-year science and technology which is a part of uh conquer prelims 2025. So this is a screenshot from that class. How does a hydrogen fuel cell works? Hydrogen enters from the anode. Step one. Okay. And then in the hydrogen, the electrons and protons will get separated. Step two. Then the electrons will pass through the electrons will pass through this circuit. And then protons will pass through this membrane. H+ protons will pass through this membrane. Okay. And then oxygen comes from the external atmosphere. Later oxygen plus this electrons plus protons means what? Hydrogen. Oxygen plus hydrogen together will form water. The only effluent The only effluent okay from hydrogen fuel cell is water. Hydrogen enters at the anode. Okay. Protons pass through the membrane. Electrons will pass through the circuit towards the cathode. At the cathode these electrons, protons that is hydrogen okay will combine with the oxygen which is coming from the atmosphere and will release only okay water vapor and heat as effluent. This is how the hydrogen fuel cell works. So there is no internal combustion here. Okay. So uh like uh the second statement hydrogen fuel cells is also okay is a alternative power train vehicle because it is also not using the internal combustion. Now coming to fuel cell electric hybrid vehicles. I mean they use fuel cell as I just explained here. They use fuel cells but they also use internal combustion. Let us see the definition once. Okay. In the case of uh uh this hybrid vehicles. Okay. They use both uh internal combustion and also fuel cells but they are not exclusively depending on the internal combustion. So therefore even the hybrid vehicles can be considered as alternative powertrain vehicles. Do they depend on alternative fuels? Do they depend on alternative fuels? Yes. Do they also depend on internal combustion? Yes. But it doesn't matter to us. What matters here is are they using alternative uh fuel or not? Yes, they are using alternative fuel. They're not exclusively depend on depending on the internal combustion. So, this is also correct. All the three is the right answer. I hope it is clear. Okay. So, one and two for most of you it will be clear. There can be some confusion with the fuel cell. Hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles use internal combustion but not only internal combustion. Do they use alternative fuels? Yes, they depend on uh hydrogen fuel. So we can call them as alternative powertrain vehicles. Okay. This particular question is discussed as a part of this one-ear current affairs question in our uh as a part of our conquer prelimins 2020. Moving on to the second uh question. Okay. Second question with reference to unmanned aerial vehicles that is about the drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles or drones. Consider the following statements. All types of UAVs uh can do vertical landing. Yes, correct or not? You can tell me. Okay. Do all of them are capable of doing vertical uh takeoff and landing like a helicopter? Okay. All types of UAVs can do vertical landing. No. Okay. Only some of the not all types of UAVs can do vertical takeoff and landing. Only those UAVs or only those drones, unmanned aerial vehicles which are using the rotor system like a helicopter. Is it clear? Okay. They use vertical takeoff and landing. It means they do not require a runway. Okay. They can just uh vertically take off and vertically land like a helicopter. What kind of drones? What kind of UAVs? Those which depend on rotor system. There are other type of uh UAVs that depend on fixedwing drones. Okay, there are traditional drones. They are not advanced drones. They are traditional drones. They are called as fixedwing drones. Okay, they typically require runways. It means they cannot vertically take off and land. They will have to take off like a like a plane, like a flight, like an aeroplane. And they will have to land. They need runway for takeoff and landing. Okay. So therefore the first statement is wrong. All types of UAVs uh cannot do vertical landing. Next one. All types of UAVs can do automated hovering. Okay. No. But what do you mean by hovering? Okay. Hovering means remaining in one place in the air. It means for example this is a battlefield. This particular UAV can stay in the air just above this battlefield. It is not uh moving from that particular place. It is in the air. It is not landing. It is not taking off. It is in the air observing the battlefield. But it is not moving ahead or in the other direction. Same place constantly. Okay. Can the UAVs do the hovering? Yes. Okay. But can all the UAVs do the hovering? No. What kind of UAVs can roughly do the hovering? Okay. not 100% but roughly matching is those UAVs which can take which can do vertical takeoff and landing. I mean those UAVs which are having this uh rotor system okay those UAVs which are having the rotor systems those UAVs which can do vertical takeoff and landing those UAVs are also capable of hovering. The other UAVs which are not capable of vertical takeoff and landing, they're also not capable of hovering. Okay. So, what kind of UAVs are not capable of hovering? The fixedwing drones are not capable of hovering. They cannot stay in the air in a constant place and keep on doing surveillance on a particular place. Okay. So all types of UAVs okay uh cannot do automated hovering all types of UAVs can use batteries only as a source of power. Only is the word which makes this particular statement also wrong. Actually UAVs can use batteries but batteries are not the only source of batteries are not the only source of uh energy for the UAVs. small UAVs. We have different types of drones. Nano drones, micro drones, okay? Uh like small drones, big drones, we have different types of drones. Usually small drones or UAVs can use batteries. But uh big droves or UAVs, they also need alternative. Okay. Like diesel. One small information point here is Dr. DVO made a diesel engine that can especially work for UAVs. Okay, DRDO developed a diesel engine but not for the other vehicles. This diesel engine is specially designed for UAVs. From this particular news what we can understand certain types of UAVs can also use diesel as a fuel means all UAVs are not depending only on the battery. Okay. So the word only makes it wrong. How many of the statements given are correct? Okay. None of the statements are correct. D is the right answer. Is it clear? Okay. Then moving on to the and did we discuss in our classes? Okay. Did my courses covered it? Yes. Unmanned aerial vehicles. Okay. And then uh NRAA is one example of uh unmanned aerial vehicle which is capable of vertical take off and landing. Okay. So these are this one is a screenshot from our classes. Okay. We discussed about unmanned aerial vehicles particularly NRA is an unmanned aerial vehicle which is capable of vertical takeoff and landing. When I'm mentioning that NRAA is capable of vertical takeoff and landing, it means what? Not all UAVs are capable of making vertical takeoff and landing. Otherwise, there is no need of specially mentioning here that Natra NRA is capable of vertical takeoff and landing. So, this is how we covered this particular question in uh our previous uh classes, right? Okay. So, the second question answer is D. Moving on to the third question. Okay. The third question. In the context of vehicle batteries, consider the following elements. Okay. Cobalt, graphite, lithium, nickel. How many of the above usually make up the battery? Cathodes. Okay. A battery will have uh two electrodes. A battery will have two electrodes, cathode and anode. Particularly here graphite is an anode material in the batteries. For example, in the lithium ion batteries in the lithium ion batteries. Okay. Uh graphite is used as an anode material. Okay. Did I discuss in my previous classes? Here is a screenshot from one of my previous classes. Which classes? Complete science and technology. Okay. uh revision in one shot. Okay, which is a very long duration class um on YouTube. In that class we have covered it. Okay, if you can notice here, right? Graphite is graphite or even graphine. What is graphine? We call it as wonder material. One carbon atom thick sheet. Is it clear? Okay. So, it is a very thin sheet made up of uh carbon atoms. Okay. So uh comparable to graphite but it is a different allotrope. It is a different allotrope of the carbon we call it as graphine. It is a one atom thick sheet of carbon atoms. Okay. So graphine or graphite they both are anode material in the lithium ion battery. A typical lithium ion battery as we can observe in this particular uh screenshot in a typical lithium ion battery. Okay. Uh the lithium ions will travel from the anode to the cathode during discharge and uh cathode to the anode during charging. This is how the batteries work. Okay. So while graphite is an anode material, remaining three are cathode material. The remaining three are cathode material. Okay. As you can observe here, cobalt, lithium and nickel are cathode materials. Whereas graphite is an anode material. Okay. Fine. These three are cathode materials. Here is a list of all the materials which can be used as cathode in the batteries. Okay. What are they? Uh nickel, manganesees, cobalt oxide, nickel, cobalt, aluminium oxide, lithium iron phosphate, etc. These are the different material which can be used as cathode material in the batteries. So the right answer is okay C only three. Okay. Which three? Okay. 1 3 and four. Graphite is the anode material. Right. Okay. Next. Moving on to the as we have seen this is a screenshot from our uh complete science and technology revision which is a marathon class. Okay. Moving on to the fourth question. It is a very general uh question kind of uh general knowledge. Okay. So like consider the following cigarette butts, eyeglass lens and car tires. How many of them contain plastic? Okay. Guess the question. Guess the answer. How many of them contain plastic? Actually C is the right answer. All of them contain plastic. Okay. So let us see what are they. Cigarette butts okay are primarily composed of a type of plastic called as cellulose acetate. Okay. Cigarette butts are made up of a particular type of plastic called a cellulose acetate. Okay. And can we use plastic in the eyeglass lenses? Yes. Earlier they used to use glass to manufacture the lenses. But as we all know glass is more prone to breakage and in that cases it can also injure the eye. So it is better to replace the glass with plastic for lighter weight, more durability etc. So yes we use plastic in the eyeglass lenses. Which kind of plastic we use? Polycarbonate is commonly used in the eyeglass lenses. Do we use plastic in the car tires also? Modern car tires are made from a mixture of natural and synthetic rubbers. Okay. Car tires are basically rubber tires. Okay. And with the synthetic rubber being a type of plastic. What is synthetic rubber? It is a type of plastic. So yes, we use plastic in the car tires as well. So how many of them contain plastic? All the three of them contain plastic. C is the right answer. Okay. And then before we further move to the fifth question, okay, what is the difficulty level? What is the difficulty level compared to last year compared to last year? It is more difficult. No doubt about it. It is more difficult when compared to 2024. So what is the primary difference 2024 and 2025? What is the primary difference in 2025? Okay, some guessing is possible. Guessing the questions are based on common sense. Okay, based on common sense, we can actually you never studied about that topic. You don't even know the key words in that question. still using a general intelligence. Okay, you can answer the questions in 2024. But in 2025, the questions are not like that. Okay, you definitely need both factual and conceptual. Definitely need both uh factual and conceptual knowledge to answer most of these questions. Must have studied that topic already. Okay. So for those who really studied the subject okay the difficulty level can be comparable 24 25 the difficulty level can be comparable but for the students who are not completely prepared and depending more on guessing or a general intelligence in that case 2025 question paper is little more difficult when compared to the 2024 paper. Okay. What is the similarity? Both the years the questions are mainly based on the current affairs mainly based on the current affairs not much from the static content okay not NCERTT type questions is it clear okay so this is an overall comparison uh between 2024 and 2025 and the difficulty level is slightly above the uh 2024 if we compare is it clear okay uh yes Samia You are correct. Common sense works better when we have knowledge. Okay. But sometimes like say for example in 2024 there was one question. Okay. And the key word is membrane and in the applications they have given something like water purification. I think anybody can correlate the two uh the word with this application. So the questions were like that in 2024. We do not have such questions in 2025. when compared to 2023. Of course, if I compare with 2023, okay, 24 and 25 are easiest. 2023 is the most difficult uh question paper we have ever seen especially when it comes to science and technology and as far as I know when it comes to the other subjects also. So that is the reason why even the cutoff was very less in 20. Okay. So we cannot compare uh even we cannot even compare with 23. When compared to 23 it is much easier but compared to 2024 it is little bit difficult not uh major difference little more difficult when compared to okay uh 2024. I hope uh you got some clarity on uh like the difficulty level and almost there is no question from NCRT. The questions are in general from newspapers current affairs and all. Okay, that is about the source. Right. Now moving on to the question number five. Consider the following substances. Ethanol, nitroglycerine, ura, coal gasification technology can be used in the production of how many of them? How many of them? The right answer for fifth question is B. Only two. Which two ethanol and ura can be produced from coal gasification? Okay. But not nitroglycerine. Okay. Let us see what it is. Okay. Answer is B. Coal gasification technology can be used in the production of ethanol and ura but not the nitroglycerin. Now let us see in detail how the three compounds can be produced. Coal gasification converts coal into a mixture of gases. A mixture of gases called as sin gas. Okay. First coal will get converted into sin gas. What is sin gas? A mixture of gases. Okay. Like carbon monoxide. Okay. Hydrogen etc. And then the sin gas can be converted into okay uh ethanol sin gas can be converted into ethanol by a process called as fermentation. The sin gas can be converted which can be used as a feed stock means raw material. Stock means kind of raw material. Okay. Sin gas can be used as a raw material for the production of ethanol through a process called as fermentation. Sin gas can also be used to produce ammonia. Okay, let us see the other application. Same sin gas can also be used to produce ammonia. NH3 which can be further converted into ura. So ethanol and ura both can be produced using a process called as coal gasification. Okay. Whereas nitroglycerin is produced through a chemical process involving nitrating the glycerol. We take glycerol and we nitrate it. Nitrating the glycerol using nitric acid and sulfuric acid not by coal gasification. Is it clear? So um coal gasification okay cannot be used to convert okay to form the nitroglycerin but it can be used to form the other two. Is it clear? Okay so the right answer is B. I hope it is clear. Okay then uh okay next. What is the common characteristic of chemical substances generally known as CL20, HMX 6, LLM 105 which are sometimes talked about in the media, right? Okay. All of them are uh explosives. Actually there is a small confusion here. They are used as explosives but they can also be used some of them at least can also be used as okay solid fuels particularly they can be used as solid fuels in rocket engines solid fuels in rocket engines. Okay. What is the main advantage of solid fuels? Solid fuels have one advantage that is they provide greater thrust. Greater thrust means greater push. So therefore most commonly okay used as most of the rocket engines most of the rocket engines use solid fuel. Okay. In the first stage of the rocket. Okay. The rocket will have around three to four stages. 1 2 Okay. Three four like that. Most of the rocket engines use solid fuel in the first stage. By solid the first stage is ignited during the launch. When we launch the rocket during the launch we ignite the stage one. Okay. So therefore we are igniting this on the earth on the ground. So therefore is an influence of there is more influence of or subjected to gravitational force. So they have to overcome they have to overcome more gravitational. So therefore we use solid fuels in the rocket engine. So some of these explosives are also used as solid fuels in the rockets. So both can be correct but we do not have a choice like both uh B and D. So therefore we have to proceed with the choice B. B is the right answer. Okay. B is the answer is B. Okay. Cl20 which is also known as CL20 which is also known as Chinaate 20 is a polycyclic nitroamine explosive. with a high density and high detonation velocity. Okay, it is used as a booster in many military applications. We use it as an explosive any military applications. Okay, but it is also being considered as a solid rocket motor. We are also considering to use the CL20 in the solid as a solid fuel in the rocket engines. they're considering to use it as a solid fuel in the rocket engines. So it means actually the option D also appears to be correct but primarily they are explosives and okay why are they used as a solid fuels because they are explosives. Is it clear? Okay, because you need you know in some of the rocket engines NASA okay is trying to use atom bomb explosion okay for the launch is it clear so when NASA is trying to use an atom bomb explosion during the launch what is the principle in that when there is an explosion it provides enormous amount of heat energy that energy is enough to overcome the gravitational force so we use explos Explosion as a principle. Okay. In the solid fuel, explosion, burning, combustion. Is it clear? Okay. So, therefore, primarily they are explosives and they can be used as solid fuels in the rockets because they are explosives. So, that is the reason why clearly the right answer is B. Okay. Why they can be used as rocket fuels? Because they are explosives. So, the primary point is being explo. I hope it is clear. Okay. Right. Then uh next HMX that is okay. A very lengthy chemical name is given here. It is a colorless crystalline solid with relatively low shock sensitivity. It is used in various applications like explosives, rocket fuels. See this is also used as a rocket fuel. Okay. But D is not the right answer. Why it is used as a rocket fuel? because it is an explosive. Okay. So the primary point about these chemicals is they are explosive. Because they are explosives, they can be used in multiple places. One of them is rocket engine. Is it clear? Next. Llm 105 is an explosive with high detonation. It is being developed for booster applications in military explosives. Okay. So the right answer here is okay. These are explosives in the military weapons. Right. Next. Moving on to the next question. Okay. Right. Consider the following statements. It is expected that Majorana one chip enables quantum computing. Okay. Correct. But before we proceed with that, let us see what is this Majorana chip. Okay. Right. Uh Majorana one chip will enable quantum computing. Correct. Statement number one is correct. Majorana one chip will enable the quantum computing. We use it in the quantum computers. Okay. Why we can use them in the quantum computing? To understand that basically what are the quantum computers? What are the quantum computers? They use Q bits instead of classical bits. Okay, for coding purpose. Okay, we use classical bits. What do you mean by classical bits? 0 and one for coding in a regular computer. But we use cubits for coding purpose in a quantum computer. And what are cubits? Cubits are quantum particle are quantum particles used as bits. Then what are the quantum particles? Quantum particles examples are electrons, photons etc. Smallest particle, smallest unit of either matter or energy. I repeat, quantum computer is a computer in which coding is done using the cubits. Cubits are the quantum particles used as bits. Quantum particles are the smallest units of the matter or energy. Smallest units of uh matter. Okay. example is the electrons and the smallest unit of the energy example is photons. Is it clear? Okay. So that is about a quantum computer. Okay. So what is majorana one chip? It is a chip used in the quantum computers. Okay. This majorana one chip utilizes a new state of matter called as topoctor. Majorana one chip uses a new state of matter called as topoctor. Okay. Then we have to understand what is a topoctor. I've given here what is a topoctor. Okay. Topo conductor is a special type of material. What are the three states of matter? We have solid, liquid, gas. These are the three states of matter. Okay. But it is a special category. What is a topoctor? It is a special category of matter. Okay. Which is not a solid, not a liquid, not a gas. It is a different state. It is a different state of matter. Is it clear? It's a special category of material that can create entirely new state of matter which is not solid, liquid, gas but a topological state. Okay. It is not in solid state, liquid state or gas state. It is in which state? Topological state. Then you may get another question. What do you mean by topological state? What do you mean by a topological state? So that word is also given here. Topological state in physics refers to a state of matter where a systems properties are determined by its okay it if a substance properties properties are decided if a system's properties are decided by its structure Okay. Or topology. What do you mean by topology? Topology means structure. Okay. It means uh if any substance properties do not depend on its chemical composition. Okay. Take any material. Its properties are not decided by its chemical composition. Rather its uh properties are dependent on its structure. Okay. Such okay. state is called as topological state. Okay, I hope topological state is clear. Do you agree that nanomaterial agree that nanomaterial okay or nano particles nano particles particularly quantum particles? quantum particle like electrons, okay? Photons etc. Right? Okay. So, do you agree that quantum particles are nano particles because they're very small in size? So, point number one, quantum particles are nano particle. Quantum particles are nano particle. Second point, nano particles properties are decided by their size and structure. There is a concept called quantum confinement. Okay. Quantum particles or nano particle properties are decided by their size and uh structure. For example, if you take nano gold, it is in red color. Is it clear? Graphine if you take though it is made up of carbon, it is a great conductor. What is making graphine a great conductor? its topology. Okay, its structure not its chemical composition. Chemically graphine graphite are similar. What is making graphine a wonder material? Its topology. So any material whose properties are decided by its topology or structure are called as topological substance. Okay. It is a topoctor. I mean it will behave like a conductor because of its topology. It will behave like a conductor. major one chip will behave like a conductor because of its unusually small size. Quantum particles are unusually small. Such a conductor is called a topoctor. Okay. So same material in the bulk size will not behave like a conductor. Is it clear? So majorana one uses a new state of matter called as topoctor. It aims to create quantum computers capable of solving complex problems which are difficult to solve. For example, using a regular computer, it if you can solve a particular problem in 10 years using a quantum computer, you can solve it in one day. Is it clear? So this Mojerana one chip which is using the topoctor which is a topoctor material. Okay. A chip which is made up of a topoctor is used in quantum computers which are used for okay higherformance computing. Is it clear? Statement Statement number two is incorrect. Okay. Uh which company made this particular majorana chip? Not Amazon Web Services. This is made by Microsoft. So the second statement is okay. Not correct. It is made by Microsoft. Okay. The third statement. The third statement is uh deep learning is a subset of machine learning. Okay. So yes, this is correct. Okay. But let us see an explanation about this particular deep learning. Is it clear? Okay. When it comes to uh deep learning, what is artificial intelligence? Okay. Uh if the machines can carry the tasks which regularly require human intelligence, there is a task like you want to do some calculation, it normally require human intelligence. But a machine is doing okay then it is called as artificial intelligence. When a machine does okay those tasks which are okay typically done using the human intelligence right next level I mean machine learning is a subset of you can see from this diagram. Okay one circle inside the other circle. This is artificial intelligence. This is machine uh learning. This is deep learning. Is it clear? Okay. So machine learning creates algorithms uh that can take decisions by observing the patterns. For example, okay, your uh Netflix will observe the pattern of what kind of videos you are watching and will will suggest similar type of videos to you for watching. Is it clear? Okay. It means uh if a machine can take its own decisions, we can call it as machine learning. But machine learning is not perfect. when the machine takes a wrong decision. Okay, we need human intervention when the decision is incorrect. Now a subset of the machine learning is deep learning. If a machine can take decisions and the machine can take perfect decisions, human intervention is not needed to correct it when it goes wrong. Okay, that level of machine learning is called as deep learning. Deep learning is a subset of machine learning. this particular topic. Okay, we have discussed in our complete science and technology revision series as a part of conquer prelims 2025. Okay, artificial intelligence, machine learning being a subset of that, deep learning being another subset of that. Is it clear? Okay, so now okay, statement number three is correct. Okay. So the right answer for seventh question is okay. C 1 and three are correct but two is not correct. It is not developed by u Amazon web services. Okay. Moving on to the next question. With reference to monoclonal antibodies with reference to monoconal antibodies often mentioned in the news. Consider the following statements. Okay. To answer this question, first of all, we have to know what are the monoconal antibodies. Is it clear? Okay. Did we cover monoconal antibodies in our classes? Yes. It is one of the screenshots from a live class. Okay. In which I discussed about the monoconal antibodies. Okay. So, what are the monoconal antibodies? Okay. Look at the word mono. Mono means one. Okay. Clone. Clone the word means copy. So here okay a group of similar antibodies. Okay for example I have 1 million antibodies. All of them are similar. They are not different from each other. You take a group of antibodies. All these antibodies are similar. Okay. And not only they are similar mono means one. It refers to what? Antibodies which are developed to be specific. Antibodies which are developed to be specific for a single antigen. Single. Therefore the word mono. Okay. antibodies which are developed to be specific for a single antigen. For example, okay, if I take 1 million antibodies, okay, so therefore I am using the word clone. Why? Because I'm taking 1 million antibodies. I'm not taking a single protein. Okay, so 1 million antibodies, but all are specific. All are specific per Spike protein on corona virus on SARS Kovv2. Is it clear? I hope you all know spike proteins. Corona virus will have a crownlike structure. We call these as spike protein. Is it clear? I made 1 million antibodies. So I'm using the word clone. All these 1 million antibodies are specific to a single antigen. What is that spike protein of the sars code scope? Such antibodies are called monoconal antibodies and they are artificially made in the laboratory. Is it clear? So statement number one is correct. Monoconal antibodies are lab produced means manmade engineered protein. Okay. We designed them to be specific to a single antigen. Naturally natural antibodies if artificial antibodies are monoconal natural antibodies are polyclonal antibodies natural antibodies are polyclonal antibodies they're not monoconal antibodies so they are man-made labmade engineered proteins the first statement is correct second statement is also correct they stimulate the iminological function what is the duty of antibodies to destroy the antigen. Destroy the antigen. What is the antigen here? Pathogen. Okay, they will stimulate as it is written in this particular screenshot. Okay, antibodies will destroy the antigen. Monoconal antibodies are used as a treatment. Okay, first answer this question. Normally a vaccine contains what? Antigen or antibbody? A vaccine contains antigen. Is it clear? A vaccine contains antigen. Is it clear? And when a vaccine is given, our immune system produces our immune system produces antibodies. Is it clear? Does a vaccine contain antibbody? No. Vaccin contains the antigen. What is that antigen? The pathogen itself, the disease-causing agent itself, the virus or the bacteria whatever is causing the disease that is that is antigen and our immune system will produce antibodies. But let us suppose we do not have time for example nifa virus, Ebola virus. Okay, they cause very severe infections. After the virus enters into our body, we do not have enough time to produce antibbody. It means your immune system is not in a position to produce antibodies. In that case, what we have to do? Directly give monoconal antibodies instead of vaccines. Okay. Antibodies destroy the antigens. Monoconal antibodies are used as a treatment. Okay. When the patients cannot produce antibbody, if they produce antibodies, you give antigen vaccine, they will produce antibbody. But now they are suffering from Ebola. Nifa virus very severe infection they don't have time to produce antibodies so you cannot keep on giving the vaccines you directly give monocclonal antibodies as a treat it clear okay so they stimulate the imunological function targeting the specific antigens correct statement number three is also correct they are being developed and tested as potential treatment for nifa virus uh infection is it clear but not only nifa virus they can be used for Nifa virus, Ebola virus, any virus, any virus, not only virus, any bacteria also. If you understand this fundamental principle, that is the reason why I'm calling it as a conceptual question. If you understand that instead of giving an antigen and waiting for the immune system to produce antibodies, if you directly give antibodies, it will work like a treatment. This is a principle. So you can use this for any infection any virus or any bacteria or any pathogen. So the statement number one is also correct for nifa virus or for any other virus. Okay. So eighth question the right answer is D1 2 and 3 is the right hand. Is it clear? Okay. Then uh moving ahead with the uh ninth question. Okay. Consider the following statements. No virus can survive in ocean waters. Wrong. Okay. Viruses can survive in the ocean water. What they do? They infect okay the plants that grow okay uh in the ocean environment or the uh like organisms any fish okay or any aquatic organism that grow in the water they infect them. Okay, remember virus is any virus. Okay, is a uh obligatory obligatory pathogen. Obligatory pathogen means what? Obligation, not only pathogen, obligatory parasite we can call it as obligatory parasite. It means what? It cannot survive. Obligation means what? Compulsion. Is it clear? So for virus there is a compulsion to infect the organisms otherwise it cannot survive. Virus is a non-living thing outside the host cell. Living thing inside the host. So we can call it as an obligatory parasite. Okay. It it it must infect a host cell if it should survive. So in the oceans viruses can infect the marine organisms fish and the other organism. Yes we have marine viruses. No virus can infect the bacteria. Wrong. Okay. We have a term called as bacteria. Bacteropagages are the viruses that infect the bacteria. Just like we get viral fever, a bacteria also will get viral fever. Okay. So which viruses will cause that? Bacteria fages. Next. No virus can change the cellular transcriptional activity. Wrong. A virus will kind of okay hijack okay the host cell machinery. Okay. So it will make the host cell behave the way it wants. Is it? It will dictate how the host cell should behave. it will dictate what kind of proteins the host cell should uh produce. So yes, it can definitely change the cellular activity. Okay. How many of the statements given above are uh correct? Okay. Ninth question, the right answer is none of the above because no word is used here. So we have to observe that the word no is used here by the way. Okay. Did I discuss this in our previous classes? Okay. Okay. Yes. Okay. Look at here. We discussed about bacteria. Okay. In uh one year current affairs as a part of our conquer prelims 2025. In that class we discussed about the bacteria of ages. It is a screenshot from our conquer prelims program. Okay. In the same class I also explained the central dogma. What is central dogma? DNA will make another copy of the DNA by a process called as replication and then DNA will get converted into RNA by a process called as transcription and then RNA will get converted into a protein by a process called as translation. Is it clear? Okay. And then what the viruses will do is it clear viruses okay what they do uh virus will okay kind of uh manipulate okay it is the information is given here we call it as statement number three is incorrect viruses can alter the cell's transcriptional activity okay once a virus it is uh written here once the virus okay uh enters into the host cell, it will insert its own RNA or DNA into the host cell. Okay? And it will kind of alter the cell's transcriptional activity in a process called as transcriptional reprogramming. I mean without virus, I will produce my proteins. I will transcribe my genes. But in the presence of the virus, I will transcribe the viral gene. Okay? In the absence of the virus, I will transcribe my DNA. But in the presence of the virus I will transcribe the viral uh DNA the viral genes. So that process is called as transcriptional reprogram. Okay. So the virus can do that one also. So none of the above right is the right answer. Then moving ahead. Thank you so much Luna. Okay. 10th question. Consider the following statements. Activated carbon is a good and attractive tool to remove the pollutant. Correct. Activated carbon. Okay. We call activated charcoal activated carbon. Okay. Uh we use it as a good and attractive tool to remove the pollutants. Correct. Okay. And what is the reason activated carbon exhibits a large surface area? Okay. Common sense question is based of you can answer it based on some general intelligence also. Okay. So uh activated carbon's surface area is more when there is more surface area it can absorb so many component. Is it clear? Okay. There is a strong potential for absorbing. Absorb. Absorption is a deep phenomena. Absorption is not same as absorption. Okay. Absorption is a surface phenomenon. Whereas absorption is a deep phenomenon because absorption is a surface phenomenon. When the surface area is more the absorption also will be more. So it will absorb all the pollutants where later it can be. Okay. So yes, statement number two explains the statement number one. Statement number three, activated carbon can be easily synthesized from the environmental waste with high carbon content. Okay, when there is an environmental waste which is having more carbon. Okay, they have given the clue here itself environmental waste which is rich in carbon content. So we can make activated carbon compounds using this. Therefore it is attractive attractive tool. Why it is attractive tool? Don't we have any other uh material that can remove the pollutants? There are many substances that can remove the pollutants. Why only activated carbon? Because we can make it from the waste. When there are many substances that can remove the pollutants. Why only activated carbon? because it can be made from the waste waste to useful compounds. Second one, it is having more surface area so it can it can absorb various substances. Okay. So both statement number two and three are correct. Two is correct, three is correct and they both will explain the statement number one. Okay, because it can be made from the waste because it can absorb several substance. So it is an attractive tool to remove the pollutants. The correct answer is A. Okay, A is the right answer. Then moving on to the question number 16. Okay, direct air capture an emerging technology. Which of the following statements are correct? It can be used as a way of carbon sequestration. Sequestration means what? Separation. Sequestration means separation, isolation. First let us try to understand what is direct air capture. Direct air capture refers to the technologies that capture the carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. Atmosphere will have a okay mixture of gases. Isn't it? Atmosphere will have a mixture of gases. From this mixture of gases, it can directly capture the carbon dioxide. It can capture the carbon dioxide. That is called as direct capture technique. If it can capture the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, if it can capture the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, definitely we can use it for carbon sequestration. Okay, that is to separate the carbon from the uh mixture of gases. So the first statement is correct. Okay. Then it can be a valuable approach for plastic production and uh food processing. Is it clear? Okay. It can also be used. Okay. In the plastic production and also food processing. Is it clear? Okay. And in aviation it can be a source of carbon for combining with hydrogen to create synthetic lowcarbon fuels. Okay. It can be a source of carbon for combining with hydrogen to create synthetic lowcarbon fuel. How can it create low carbon fuel? By capturing the carbon dioxide. Okay. In the fuel, it will capture the carbon dioxide. So, it will lower the carbon content. So, we can use it as a low carbon fuel. Okay. Statement number three is correct. it the captured COT from the direct air capture can be combined with green hydrogen to synthesize lowcarbon fuels for the aviation purpose. Is it clear? Okay. So therefore uh all the three statements 16th question C is the right answer. All the three are correct. Okay. Next question. Question number 54. Okay. GPS aided geo augmented navigation GAN. Okay. Uses a system of ground stations to provide necessary augmentation. Augmentation. The word augmentation means what? Improvement. Improvement. You are adding quality to it. You are adding something to an added benefit. It will augment what? It will augment the GPS. Is it clear? Okay. It is especially made for what the word gagan itself is explaining that it is particularly made for aviation. Okay. But uh it will provide benefits in aviation. Okay. It will provide benefits in aviation. Okay. But what makes this particular statement wrong is only it is made for navigating the flights. Okay. uh I will explain this using this particular uh screenshot. It is a part of our complete science and technology marathon revision series as a part of our conquer prelims 2025. So in that we discussed about this GAN directly. It is developed by whom? ISRO and airports authority of India. Is it clear what is it? It is a satellite based augmentation system. So basically what is gagun? Gage is a navigation. Okay. For uh flights. Navigation for flights. Just like GPS will navigate our cars, bikes and all. Gagan will navigate okay the flights. Is it clear? Okay. Then uh now if you observe this question it will provide benefit for uh aviation. It will provide navigation for aviation but not only. Okay look at this. GAN provides accurate positioning and timing services that can be utilized in various sectors like railways okay and road transportation also. Okay. So while primarily designed for aviation, GAN is primarily designed for aviation but not used only for aviation. Gagan is primarily designed for navigating the flights but not used only to navigate the flights. It can be used in the other transportation also. Okay. So therefore this particular statement is wrong. Okay. And it is designed to provide additional accuracy and integrity to the flights. Question number 54. The right answer is D. Okay. It is designed to provide additional accuracy and integrity. Yes, that is the whole and sole purpose. Okay. Actually, ground stations will navigate the flights. Flights will get signals from the ground control. Is it clear? But this is an additional augmenting the navigation so that the flights will get better navigation and timing. Is it clear? And because of this better navigation and timing we can uh uh we can have more air traffic within the given airspace. Within the given airspace we can permit more air traffic because our navigation and timing is more accurate. So GAN is increasing the accuracy. Correct? Is it clear? Okay. Then it will allow more uniform and highly high quality air traffic management because ground station will control. Gagan is adding is it clear an additional source to navigate the flights. So therefore it will give high quality uh traffic management air traffic management. One and two are correct. Third statement is wrong because though it is developed for aviation it is not used exclusively for aviation. Okay. So the right answer is D. Okay. Moving on to the next question. Question number 61. Okay. Some rare earth metals are used in manufacturer of the flat television screens. Okay. Um correct. Okay. And statement number two, some rare elements have phosphoruscent properties. It means they are bright. They are bright. Phosphoresence properties. Yes. Correct. Okay. Which one of the above statements in in respect of the above statements is correct? Both statement number one and two are correct. Statement number two explains the statement number one 61. The right answer is A. Okay. Look at the explanation. Some rare earth elements like utrium, perium, europium are used in the flat screen televisions. But why are they used in the flat screen televisions? Because they are having bright colors. Okay. Because they have a phosphorusence. Because they are phosphoruscent. Is it clear? As because Okay. Uh they phosphor. Okay. I mean they have phosphorusence to produce red, green and blue colors which are essential for creating vibrant colored flat televisions. So yes, we use rare earth elements like itriium, turbium and europium. But why do we use them in the flat television screens? Because they are phosphorus. Is it clear? So A is the right answer. Okay. Right. Moving on to the next question. Consider the following statements. Indian railways have prepared a national rail plan to create a future ready railway system. Correct. But what made this statement wrong? 2028. Okay. As per the PIB. Okay. It is actually called as the National Rail Plan 2030. The name itself is NRP 2030. The name itself is NRP 2030. So this is not targeting to be completed in the year 2018. Actually the statement is right. But what makes this statement wrong is this ear next. Okay. Is an automatic train protection system developed in collaboration with Germany. Again, it is partly correct. Kach is an automatic train protection system but not developed in collaboration with Germany. This word will make it uh wrong. Okay. It is an indigenously developed system. We only developed it. Okay. Next. Covered system. Okay. So this is also wrong. Second statement is also wrong. Covered system consist of RFID tags fitted on the track railway track. Okay. In the station sections that is nearer to the railway stations. Is it correct? Yes, it is correct. But to understand this we have to know what is RFID. Okay. Uh and moreover did I discuss it in one of my previous classes? Yes. Once again I discussed this in uh complete science and technology revision a marathon which is a part of conquer prelims 2025 on the YouTube. Okay. So look at here how the uh RFID works. Okay. I will explain how the RFID works in different steps. Step one. Okay. Um RFID will have two components. Is it clear? An antenna RFID will have two components. an antenna and a reader. Okay. First reader will send the radio waves. Is it clear? Okay. Tag and antenna. Okay. Right. Tag and an antenna. Tag antenna. So here the tag is fitted to the railway tracks. Okay. Okay. The tag is fitted to the railway tracks as given in this statement. Okay. RFID tags. Fitted to the tracks near the station. Where are the tags? Station. Okay. Uh on the track near the stations. Where is antenna? Antenna will be there in the stations, not on the tracks, in the stations. Okay. Whenever the train approaches a particular station, the antenna in the railway station, okay, will read this particular okay tags the information from the train so that it can track the okay railway the train movements. Is it clear? Okay. So, first here the antenna will emit. Observe this particular thing. Antenna will emit the radio waves. Step one. Okay, it will hit the tag. The radio waves will hit the tag. Step number two. Step number three, the tag will reflect the radio waves. Is it clear? Step number four, then antenna will receive the radio waves and will send it to a reader. Step number five, a computer system will analyze this particular data. to analyze about the to track the movement of the trains. Simply put, okay, RFID tags, okay, can be kept on the railway tracks to monitor track the movement of the trains. Is it clear? So, the third statement is correct. Okay. Question number 62. The right answer is okay. Uh, A. Question number 62. The right answer is okay. A1 and two only. Which of the above are not correct? Okay. This is not correct because it is 20 30. This is not correct because it is indigenous. This is correct. Okay. because RFID tags can be used to track the trains. Okay. Right. To monitor the tra train movements. Thank you so much. Okay. Next. Uh moving on to our last question. Okay. Consider the following space missions. Okay. Did we discuss them in our classes? Yes. These are the screenshots. Okay. Once again in conquer prelims uh current affairs marathon. Okay. We did conquer prelims in five phases. Okay. Uh one and a half year current affairs. Okay. In two parts and then after that some important topics in each subject. Then after that all pyqs 10 year pq's uh marathon and then complete revision marathon. In five phases, our conquer prelims 2025 was more than a comprehensive course in any of the subjects. In all the subjects, we did the same. Is it clear? Which is one rare thing. Usually in many places maybe one or two faculty may do that. as a team in every subject providing one and a half year current affairs important areas complete revision 10 year PQs is definitely okay um a difficult thing for us to do okay uh the last two months uh were very tough especially uh the last two months had been very tough on me okay uh and okay I hope you can definitely make use of this if you are writing the exam in the year 2026 or beyond Ond next year also our conquer prelims programs will come and if you are hoping to clear this exam not only conquer prelims our conquer mains also will be there but we are planning this conquer means on the platform for which you will have to enroll to an academy for a discounted price 19,9.99 using the referral code IAS English right okay yes we discussed about the spedex so basically What is a spadeex? Uh it is a docking space. Docking. Docking means what? Okay. Docking means don't have a pen to show here. I popularly show it with a pen. Okay. Uh okay. Docking means kind of. Okay. Look at here. This is docking. Okay. These are two spacecraft. They both should fit into each other. This concept is called as docking. Okay. Space docking experiment and did we also discuss about Gaganyan? Yes, we also discussed about Gaganyan. It is a future mission in which ISRO is planning to send astronauts. Is it clear? Okay, man mission. Future man mission. These are the screenshots both from the conquer prelims. Is it clear? Now coming back to this. Okay. Consider the following space missions. How many of the space missions given above encourage and support? Is it clear? You observe this. They are using the word encourage and support. It means they need not directly be used to study the microgravity. They need not be directly used to study the microgravity. If they can just support in studying the microgravity. For example, we use Bharata Antarika station to study microgravity but we need SpaceX Spadeex per Bharati Antarika state. What is Bharatya Antarika station? It is India's own space station obviously because it is a space station it is going to be huge. So we cannot launch it in a single piece. We will have to launch it in multiple pieces and all these multiple pieces have to go there and dock with each other. Is it clear? So Bharati station is used to study the microgravity. But SpaceX mission will support us to make the Bharati state. So support and to support this word support UPSC has given another word encourage. So looking at these two words it is 100% clear that they need not be directly used to study the microgravity not be directly used to study the microgravity they have to just help us help us in studying about the microgravity by the way what is microgravity okay micro means small gravity is gravity I mean unusually less amount of gravity so that either the human beings or the objects will experience weightlessness as We see in some videos our astronauts will keep kind of flying. Okay. Because they experience a condition of weightlessness because there is very little gravity, microgravity. That is called microgravity. Will only humans experience microgravity? No. Even the objects will fly. You might have seen how they drink water, how the astronauts drink water, even the water floats. Okay. So that is microgravity. So we use Gaganyan and Bharati station to study microgravity. Spadeex okay is used for those. So it means it will support or encourage correct okay all of them. By the way what is this axiom for? It is a space mission will fly an Indian astronaut to the international space station. It is designed to host a significant number of scientific experiments including those focused on microgravity. Is it clear? Okay. So we are sending this actually it is kind of uh uh it's not an ISRO's mission but Indian astronaut is traveling is it clearly it's not a mission by ISRO okay they're sending uh uh them to international space station but an Indian uh astronaut is also traveling as a part of that so that mission was important okay so the right answer for 63rd question is C all the three can encourage and support our micro Progravity research. Okay. So actually science and technology questions are completed. But there is one question. Question number 13. We at an academy categorized this question under the subject geography. So uh MKkesh sir already discussed this question but is one statement. The second statement okay in this particular question is from my favorite topic which I discussed in multiple classes is it clear like marathon session on the YouTube regular comprehensive courses multiple classes I discussed it okay and these are the screenshots okay solar storms right solar storms okay solar flares etc so on the whole how many questions came from science and technology around I did not actually count around 14 or 15 questions came from science and technology as always as always almost the average number of questions from science and technology is around 50 it is like any other uh subject in the prelim. So I advise you all especially those who are preparing for 26 and beyond okay to take science and technology as seriously as all the other subjects because okay many students will kind of miss an opportunity of clearing the prelims with just one mark or even less than that in that situations those who also take science and technology as uh seriously as other subjects will be definitely at an edge. So that's all is our 2025 prelims GS paper and I hope okay you found it very useful. Thank you so much. Don't forget to enroll using the referral code and academy as English. Thank you.