The correct answer is China.

Key Points

• Nathu La is one of the highest motorable roads in the world. It is situated on the Indo-Tibetan border 14450 ft. above sea level.
• It is one of the most important Himalayan passes in the country. Nathu means 'listening ears', and La means 'pass'.
• It is one of the three open trading border posts between India and China and is famous for its picturesque beauty and beautiful environment.
• Nathu La is located on the Old Silk Route. It is a mountain pass in the Himalayas in the East Sikkim district.
• It connects Sikkim to China's Tibet Autonomous Region. It was sealed for almost 4 decades after the People's Republic of China suppressed a Tibetan uprising in 1959.
• The Nathu La Pass was reopened in 2006 and since then, it has served as an official Border Personnel Meeting(BPM) Point.

Additional Information

Other important passes: 

The correct answer is Meghalaya.

Key Points

Nongkrem dance festival:

• Period: Generally, in the month of November, every year.
• Venue: Smit, the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya.
• The Nongkrem dance festival is celebrated during Autumn at Smit, the cultural centre of the Khasi Hills.
• It is a five day long religious festival of the Khasis, Ka Pomblang Nongkrem dance is popularly known as Nongkrem dance.
• Nongkrem Dance Festival is performed to appease the all-powerful Goddess Ka Blei Synshar for a rich bumper harvest and prosperity of the people.

Additional Information

• Other major festivals of Meghalaya:
  • Shad Suk Mynsiem, Wangala, Laho dance festival, etc.
  • The state is also known for its popular modern festivals such as Autumn festival, Strawberry festival, Cherry blossom festival etc.

The correct answer is Meghalaya.

Key Points

Nongkrem dance festival:

• Period: Generally, in the month of November, every year.
• Venue: Smit, the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya.
• The Nongkrem dance festival is celebrated during Autumn at Smit, the cultural centre of the Khasi Hills.
• It is a five day long religious festival of the Khasis, Ka Pomblang Nongkrem dance is popularly known as Nongkrem dance.
• Nongkrem Dance Festival is performed to appease the all-powerful Goddess Ka Blei Synshar for a rich bumper harvest and prosperity of the people.

Additional Information

• Other major festivals of Meghalaya:
  • Shad Suk Mynsiem, Wangala, Laho dance festival, etc.
  • The state is also known for its popular modern festivals such as Autumn festival, Strawberry festival, Cherry blossom festival etc.

• Tehri Dam is built on the river Bhagirathi. It is the highest dam in India situated in Uttarakhand. The length of the dam is 575 m.

The correct answer is Ten Degree Channel.

Key Points

• Andamans are separated from Nicobar by a 10-degree channel (10-degree latitude).
• The Gulf of Mannar is a shallow bay, part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean.
• A chain of low islands and reefs known as Adam’s Bridge, also called Ramsethu, which includes Mannar Island, separates the Gulf of Mannar from Palk Strait, which lies to the north between India and Sri Lanka.
• Palk Strait is a strait between the Tamil Nadu state of India and the Mannar district of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.
• South Andaman and Little Andaman are separated by Duncan Passage.
• 8 Degree Channel (8 degrees north latitude) separates islands of Minicoy and Maldives.
• 9 Degree Channel (9 degrees north latitude) separates the island of Minicoy from the main Lakshadweep archipelago.

Additional Information

• The Grand Channel is between the Great Nicobar Islands and the Sumatra islands of Indonesia.
• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also known as the Emerald Islands.
• The Coco Strait is between the North Andaman Islands and the Coco Islands of Myanmar.
• The name Lakshadweep in Malayalam and Sanskrit means 'a hundred thousand islands'.

The correct answer is Article 13.Key Points

• Article 13 deals with Laws Inconsistent with Fundamental Rights.
• Article 13 declares that all laws that are inconsistent with or in derogation of any of the fundamental rights shall be void.
• It expressively provides for the doctrine of judicial review.
• This power has been conferred on the Supreme Court (Article 32) and the high courts (Article 226) that can declare a law unconstitutional and invalid on the ground of contravention of any of the Fundamental Rights.

Additional Information

• There are six Fundamental Rights

The correct answer is Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

Key Points

• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is the nodal department for the formulation of the policy on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
  • It is a central government department under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  • It controls the maintenance and management of data on inward FDI into India.
  • The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade plays a vital role in the liberalization and rationalization of the FDI policy.

 Additional Information

The correct answer is Mahabhinishkraman.

Key Points

• And Mahabhinishkraman refers to the departure of Siddhartha from his home at the age of 29.

Important Points

• Dharmachakrapravartana refers to Siddhartha’s first religious sermon at Sarnath.
• Nirvana refers to the attainment of knowledge by Buddha at Bodh Gaya.
• Parinirvana refers to the death of Siddhartha at Kushinagar.

The correct answer is Parenchyma.

• Parenchyma is a living tissue in the plant cells.

Key Points

• Parenchyma:
  • These are living polygonal cells with a big central vacuole & intercellular spaces amidst them.
  • Parenchymatous cells are responsible to create ground pith & tissue.
  • It comprising of chloroplasts and that's why it is termed chlorenchyma & it helps in photosynthesis.

Important Points

• Sclerenchyma:
  • It is a simple permanent plant tissue.
  • It provides mechanical stiffness and strength to the plants.
  • It is composed of dead cells i.e non-living or dead cells.
• Phloem fiber:
  • It is narrow and elongated.
  • It occurs both in the primary phloem and the secondary phloem.
  • The fibers of sclerenchyma associated with phloem are called phloem fibres.​
• Tracheids:
  • Tracheids are elongated cells in the xylem of vascular plants that serve in the transport of water and mineral salts.
  • Tracheids are one of two types of tracheary elements, vessel elements being the other.
  • Tracheids, unlike vessel elements, do not have perforation plates.

The correct answer is Kerala.

Key Points

• Sasthamkotta lake which is known as the Queen of Lakes is located 29 km from Kollam, Kerala.
• Sasthamcotta Lake or Sasthamkotta Lake, also categorized as a wetland, is the largest freshwater lake in Kerala
• The lake is named after the ancient Sastha temple (a pilgrimage centre) located on its bank.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Article 169.

Key Points

• Article 169 states about the Abolition or creation of Legislative Councils in States.

• Recently, the West Bengal government has decided to set up a Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad).
• For setting up the Council, a Bill has to be introduced in the Assembly and then a nod from the Governor is required.
• The Legislative Council in the State was abolished in 1969.

Additional Information

The correct answer is 22.

• 8th schedule - Originally, 14 languages were in the 8th schedule of the Constitution.
• The Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santali were added in the year 2003 (92nd Constitutional Amendment Act).
• Awadhi language is usually spoken in the Awadh region of present-day Uttar Pradesh.
• At present total of 22 official languages in the 8th schedule.

Additional Information

• The trick to remember: Tears of Old PM
  • 1st Schedule: T – Territory
  • 2nd Schedule: E – Enrolment
  • 3rd Schedule: A – Affirmations/Oaths
  • 4th Schedule: R – Rajya Sabha
  • 5th Schedule: S – Scheduled Areas
  • 6th Schedule: O – Other Scheduled Areas
  • 7th Schedule: F – Federal Structure
  • 8th Schedule: O – Official Languages
  • 9th Schedule: L – Land Reforms
  • 10th Schedule: D – Defection
  • 11th Schedule: P – Panchayats
  • 12th Schedule: M – Municipality

The correct answer is Gandak.

Important Points

• The River Ganges Tributaries:
  • Left: Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Koshi,  Mahananda, Ramganga, Garra.
  • Right: Yamuna, Sone, Punpun, Damodar.
• The Beas River (470 km) is a river in north India.
  • Source: Rohtang La; Mouth: Sutlej River.
• The Tungabhadra river starts and flows through the state of Karnataka.
  • Sources: Tunga, Bhadra; Mouth: Krishna River.
• The Manas (400 km) is the Himalayan foothills river between southern Bhutan and India.
  • Source: Himalayas; Mouth: Brahmaputra.

Additional Information

• The Yamuna is the main and the longest (1,376 kilometres) right bank tributary of the river Ganga.
  • Rises from Yamunotri glacier near the Banderpoonch peak of the higher Himalayas.
• Ghaghara River is the second-longest tributary of Ganga by length.

The correct answer is 1784.

Key Points11 March 1784

• ​The Treaty of Mangalore was signed between Tipu Sultan and the British East India Company on 11 March 1784.
• It was signed in Mangalore and brought an end to the Second Anglo-Mysore War.​​​​

Additional InformationHaider Ali

• He was born into an obscure family and started his career as a horseman in the Mysore army under the ministers of king Chikka Krishnaraja Wodeyar.
• He was uneducated but intellectually and diplomatically & militarily skilled.
• He became the de facto ruler of Mysore in 1761 and introduced western methods of training into his army with the help of the French army.
• With his excellent military skills, he took over the Nizami army and the Marathas and captured Dod Ballapur, Sera, Bednar, and Hoskote in 1761- 63 and brought to submission the troublesome Poligars of South India (Tamil Nadu).
• The treaty of Madras ended the first Anglo-Mysore war in 1769.
• During the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84), Haider Ali died of Cancer and his son Tipu Sultan carried on the war against the Britishers.
• The second Anglo-Mysore war ended with the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784.
• In the Third Anglo-Mysore war (1790-92) Britishers attacked Seringpatnam, and Tipu suffered a huge loss in the war.
• The third Anglo-Mysore war ended with the Treaty of Seringpatnam.
• The fourth Anglo-Mysore war ended in 1799 with the fall of Seringpatnam, Tipu Sultan laid his life fighting bravely.

The correct answer is Jawaharlal Nehru.

Key Points

• Congress passed the Poorna Swaraj resolution in December 1929 in the Lahore session.
• Jawaharlal Nehru was the president of the December 1929 Lahore session.
• Lord Irwin (1926-1931) was The Viceroy of India when Congress passed the resolution for Poorna Swaraj.
• Important sessions

• R.K. Narayan is the author of the book named “Malgudi Days” which was published in1943.
• The book contains 32 stories set in a fictional town called ‘Malgudi’.
• It was adapted as a television series which was broadcasted on Doordarshan network.
• Malgudi Days was published outside of India by Penguin Classics in 1982.

The correct answer is Convex Mirror.

Key Points

• Convex Mirror
  • A Convex Mirror curves outward like the back of a spoon.
  • In a convex mirror, light originating from the same point will reflect off the mirror surface and diverge.
  • Hence convex mirror is sometimes referred to as a diverging mirror.
  • The type of image formed by these mirrors is always imaginary or virtual.
• Uses of Convex Mirror
  1. It is used as a rearview mirror in the vehicle because it provides the maximum near field of view.
  2. In Sodium reflector lamp.

• Concave Mirror
  • A Concave mirror is a mirror that has a slightly inward curve like the inside of a spoon.
  • The Curved surfaces focus parallel rays from a great distance into a single point for enhanced intensity.
• Uses of Concave Mirror
  1. As a shaving glass
  2. As a reflector for headlights of vehicles, and searchlights.
  3. In Ophthalmoscope examines the eye, ear, and nose doctors.
  4. In Solar cookers.

Confusion Points

• Do not confuse between Concave/Convex Lens and Mirror
• Convex lens
  • The convex lens is also called a converging lens.
• Concave lens
  • The concave lens is also called a diverging lens.

The correct answer is 18th April.

Key Points

• World Heritage Day (18th April)
  • World Heritage Day is celebrated every year on 18 April to preserve human heritage and to recognize all the efforts of relevant organizations.
  • The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in 1982 announced, 18 April as the World Heritage Day.
  • This was approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983, with an aim of enhancing awareness about the importance of cultural heritage, monuments and conserving them.
  • Theme 2021: Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures.

The correct answer is Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan.

Key Points

• The correct sequence of the Mughal emperors chronologically are as follows:
• Babur → Humayun → Akbar → Jahangir → Shah-Jahan → Aurangzeb → Bahadur Shah → Jahandar Shah → Farrukhsiyar  Muhammad Shah → Ahmad Shah Bahadur → Alamgir II → Shah Alam II → Akbar Shah II → Bahadur Shah II.

Shortcut Trick Trick To Remember Mughal Rulers: BHAJI SABJI FOR MAAM-SAAB

• BHAJI
  • B – Babur
  • H – Humayun
  • A – Akbar
  • JI – Jahangir
• SABJI
  • S – Shah Jahan
  • A – Aurangzeb
  • B – Bahadur Shah
  • JI – Jahandar Shah
• FOR
  • FOR – Faruque Sirar
• MAAM
  • M – Muhammad Shah
  • A – Ahmad Shah
  • AM – Alamgir
• SAAB
  • SA – Shah Alam
  • A – Akbar Shah
  • B – Bahadur Shah Jafar

The correct answer is Rukmini.

Key Points

•  Rukmini satellite:
  • It is also known as GSAT-7.
  • It was launched on Aug 30, 2013.
  • It was launched by Ariane 5 ECA rocket from Kourou in French Guiana.
  • It was the first military communication satellite developed by the ISRO for the Indian Defence forces, with the Indian Navy being the primary user.
  • It is an advanced communication satellite built by ISRO to provide a wide range of service spectrum from low-bit rate voice to high-bit-rate data communication.
  • Its payload is designed to provide communication capabilities to users over a wide oceanic region including the Indian land-mass.​​

Additional Information

• Aryabhata
  • It was India's first satellite.
  • It was launched in 1975.
• Rohini RS-1
  • It was India's first indigenous satellite launch that was used for measuring the in-flight performance of the second experimental launch of SLV-3.
  • It was launched in 1980.
• ​Apple
  • It was the first experimental communication satellite.
  • It was launched in 1981.