1.With reference to Open Network for Digital Commerce, Consider the following statements:
Statement -I: The ONDC entity, a not-for-profit company incorporated under Section 8 of the Payments and settlements act 2008, manages and operates the ONDC Network.
Statement -II: It comprises different entities called ‘Network Participants’, including Buyer Applications, Seller Applications, and Gateways that perform the search and discovery function
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement – I and Statement – II are correct and Statement – II is the correct explanation for Statement – I
(b) Both Statement – I and Statement – II are correct and Statement – II is not the correct explanation for Statement – I
(c) Statement – I is correct but Statement – II is incorrect
(d) Statement – I is incorrect but Statement – II is correct
Answer: (d)Statement – I is incorrect but Statement – II is correct
In News: NITI Aayog’s Rural Development Division convenes a National Seminar on ‘Strengthening Rural Microenterprises’
Explanation:
- NITI Aayog’s Rural Development Division convened a National Seminar on ‘Strengthening Rural Microenterprises’ on 4th June 2025 at NITI Aayog, New Delhi.
- The day-long event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, financial institutions, international organisations, technology providers, and grassroots entrepreneurs to deliberate on strategies for empowering rural microenterprises, with a special focus on women-led initiatives.
- Emphasis was laid on enabling policy frameworks, improving access to affordable credit, and scaling digital and market access tapping the initiatives like Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) amongst others
- The ONDC entity, a not-for-profit company incorporated under Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013, manages and operates the ONDC Network.Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
- It is responsible for building and maintaining the underlying infrastructure (common registries and protocols) as well as defining the rules of engagement and code of conduct for the Network Participants through the ONDC Network Policy and the ONDC Network Participant Agreement.Hence statement 2 is correct.
- It comprises different entities called ‘Network Participants’, including Buyer Applications, Seller Applications, and Gateways that perform the search and discovery function. Imagine a scenario where all the large e-commerce platforms, from food delivery to clothing and fashion to conveyance, are accessible in one place, along with your neighbourhood start-ups, shops, and kirana stores.
Source:
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/what-is-ondc-how-it-works-8618435/
2.With reference to Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana, Consider the following statements:
1. It is a scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
2. It is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government
3. The expenditure for implementation of the scheme will be met from the “Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (c) All three
In News: Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar chaired the 4th Meeting of National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSrC) and Charted Forward Path for Elderly Welfare and Empowerment
Explanation:
- The 4th meeting of the National Council for Senior Citizens was held in New Delhi today, under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar.
- The meeting served as a crucial platform for reviewing existing schemes, discussing emerging needs, and setting a forward-looking agenda aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
- The Council stressed the importance of ensuring that every senior citizen in the country lives with dignity, respect, and active engagement in society.
- Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) is a scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
- This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government.
- The expenditure for implementation of the scheme will be met from the “Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund”.Hence option(c) is correct.
- The Scheme will be implemented through the sole implementing agency – Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a PSU under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- Under the scheme, the physical aids will be provided only to the senior citizens of the nation.
- This implies those who are aged above 60 years will get free assisted living aids and physical devices which are required for their sustainability. Also the govt. has selected the list of cities where the scheme will be implemented.
- The main criteria for the senior citizens to get full benefits of Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) scheme is that they must belong to BPL family and should hold valid BPL card issued by the concerned authority.
Source:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2133837
3. Consider the following statements:
1. Census Division assists the Registrar General and Census Commissioner for timely and successful conduct of Census Operations
2. The Census of India is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer:(c) Both 1 and 2
In News: Population Census-2027 to be conducted in two phases along with enumeration of castes
Explanation:
- It has been decided to conduct Population Census-2027 in two phases along with enumeration of castes.
- The reference date for Population Census – 2027 will be 00:00 hours of the first day of March, 2027.
- For the Union Territory of Ladakh and the non-synchronous snow-bound areas of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be 00.00 hours of the first day of October, 2026.
- The notification for the intent of conducting the Population Census with the above reference dates will be published in the official gazette tentatively on 16.06.2025, as per provision of section 3 of Census Act 1948.
- The Census of India is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990
- Census Division assists the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India for timely and successful conduct of Census Operations once in ten years in the country under the legal authority of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990 and amendments made thereunder.Hence option(c) is correct
- The Directors of Census operations co-ordinate the work of census taking in the respective States/Union Territories
Source:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2133845
4.Recently two more wetlands Khichan, Menar added to the prestigious list of Ramsar Sites situated in which of the following states?
(a) Rajasthan
(b) Punjab
(c) Madhya Pradesh
(d) Gujarat
Answer:(a) Rajasthan
In News: Prime Minister hails addition of two New Ramsar Sites in Rajasthan
Explanation:
- The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has praised India’s continued progress in environmental conservation as two more wetlands—Khichan in Phalodi and Menar in Udaipur, both in Rajasthan, have been added to the prestigious list of Ramsar Sites.
- With this addition, India now has a total of 91 Ramsar Sites.Hence option(a) is correct
- The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.
- It encourages the protection and conservation of wetlands worldwide by designating them as such.
- Ramsar sites are also known as wetlands of international importance.
- According to the Convention, wetlands are defined as “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres”.
Source:
5.Consider the following statements:
1. The Reserve Bank of India mandates all the listed companies in India to submit a Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR).
2. In India, a company submitting a BRSR makes disclosures in the report that are largely non-financial in nature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) does not mandate the submission of the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR). Instead, it is the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) that mandates BRSR, and only for the top 1,000 listed companies by market capitalization—not all listed companies.
- The BRSR requires companies to make disclosures that are largely non-financial in nature, focusing on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors.Hence, option (b) is correct.
6. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Plastic Parks scheme in India?
1. The scheme aims to establish an ecosystem with state-of-the-art infrastructure for plastic industry production and research.
2. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
3. Plastic Parks aim to promote recycling and reduce plastic waste in line with India’s commitments to sustainable development.
4. Financial assistance under the scheme is provided in the form of 50% central grant to private stakeholders.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only
Answer: (d)1, 3 and 4 Only
Explanation:
News: World Environment Day 2025
- This year, World Environment Day supports UNEP’s campaign to the theme “BeatPlasticPollution”, focusing on real solutions to one of the planet’s most fixable problems.
- The campaign urges everyone to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink how we use plastic in daily life.
- Plastic Parks are specially developed industrial zones where plastic-related businesses—covering production, processing, and recycling—operate in a cluster to boost efficiency and sustainability.
- The aim is to promote eco-friendly practices, such as reusing and recycling plastic, while also boosting the local economy.
- Under the New Scheme of Petrochemicals, the government of India offers grant funding of up to 50% of the project cost, with a maximum limit of Rs. 40 crore per project.
- So far, 10 Plastic Parks have been approved across various states.
- India stands 12th in the world export of plastics, as per the 2022 World Bank estimates. This growth has been a result of the constant efforts by the Indian government to promote the production and export of plastics, like setting up Plastic Parks.
- The Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers formulated this scheme with a view to synergize and consolidate the capacities through cluster development and enhance India’s plastic production and export capabilities. The scheme has the following objectives:
- Increase the competitiveness, polymer absorption capacity and value addition in the domestic downstream plastic processing industry through adaptation of modern, research and development led measurers.
- Increase investments in the sector through additions in capacity and production, creating quality infrastructure and other facilitation to ensure value addition and increase in exports.
- Achieve environmentally sustainable growth through innovative methods of waste management, recycling, etc.
- Adopt a cluster development approach to achieve the above objectives owing to its benefits arising due to optimization of resources and economies of scale.
Source:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=154549&ModuleId=3
7. Consider the following statements regarding the NAMASTE Scheme:
1. It is a centrally sponsored scheme aimed at mechanizing sewer and septic tank cleaning.
2. It is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
3. The scheme also includes Waste Pickers as beneficiaries.
How many of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (b) Only two
Explanation:
News: On the occasion of World Environment Day 2025, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) reaffirmed its commitment to environmental justice and worker dignity, by launching a Nationwide Digital Application – Waste Picker Enumeration App – for profiling Waste Pickers under the NAMASTE Scheme.
- The National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) is an ongoing Central Sector Scheme jointly implemented by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) with NSKFDC being implementation agency for sewer and septic tank workers (SSWs). The scheme expanded its mandate in June 2024 to include Waste Pickers. Hence statements (2) and (3) are correct.
- NAMASTE is a Central Sector Scheme (not Centrally Sponsored). Hence statement (1) is incorrect.
- With the inclusion of Waste Pickers, NAMASTE now aims to enumerate 2.5 lakh individuals, offering them formal identity, social protection, skill development, and collective empowerment.
- The expanded NAMASTE Scheme seeks to profile:
1. Issue occupational photo ID cards to Waste Pickers
2. Provide health insurance under Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY)
3. Deliver PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) kits, skilling, and access to capital subsidies
4. Strengthen Waste Picker Collectives to manage 750 Dry Waste Collection Centers (DWCCs).
8. Consider the following statements:
1. The Sasakawa award focuses on the promotion of inclusive and resilient approaches in disaster risk reduction.
2. The GPDRR is organized annually by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (a) 1 Only
Explanation:
News:
- Together with the World Health Organization Sasakawa Health Prize and the UN Environment Programme Sasakawa Environment Prize,the United Nations Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction is one of the three prestigious prizes established in 1986 by the founding Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, Mr. Ryoichi Sasakawa.
- The United Nations Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction is awarded to an individual or institution that has made active efforts to reduce disaster risk in their community and advocates for resilience.
- The Award focuses on the promotion of inclusive and resilient approaches in disaster risk reduction, reflecting the centrality of inclusiveness and resilience in the Sendai Framework.
- Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), is popularly known as “The Cyclone Man of India” for his exceptional contributions to tropical cyclone forecasting and warning systems.
- The GPDRR is organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), not the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
- The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) 2025 was held in Geneva, Switzerland, and featured participation from various international bodies, including the G20, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the African Union (AU).
Source:
9. Consider the following:
Statement I: ‘Arnala’ ship is capable of low-intensity maritime operations and underwater surveillance.
Statement II: It is powered by nuclear propulsion technology.
(a) Both Statement – I and Statement – II are correct and Statement – II is the correct explanation for Statement – I
(b) Both Statement – I and Statement – II are correct and Statement – II is not the correct explanation for Statement – I
(c) Statement – I is correct but Statement – II is incorrect
(d) Statement – I is incorrect but Statement – II is correct
Answer: (c) Statement – I is correct but Statement – II is incorrect
Explanation:
News: Indian Navy is all set to commission the first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), Arnala, at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, on 18 Jun 2025.
- The first anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW SWC) ‘Arnala’ was handed over to the Indian Navy.
- It was designed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata and built at M/s L&T Shipyard.
- Arnala is 77 meters long and is powered by a diesel engine-waterjet combination, making it the largest Indian naval ship ever to be powered by this combination.
- It is designed for anti-submarine operations, underwater surveillance, search and rescue operations and low intensity maritime operations (LIMO) in coastal areas. Also, it is also equipped with advanced mine laying capability.
- This warship is named after the historic ‘Arnala Fort’ located in Vasai area of Maharashtra, which is a symbol of India’s rich maritime tradition.
Source:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2134607
10. In which one of the following States is Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary located? [UPSC-2018 Prelims]
(a) Arunachal Pradesh
(b) Manipur
(c) Meghalaya
(d) Nagaland
Answer: (a) Arunachal Pradesh