(a) Only statement 1 is correct. Why in news? ■ Recently the Supreme Court of India ruled that “self-respect” marriages are valid under the Hindu Marriage Act ■ The court overruled a 2014 Madras High Court ruling that stated that marriages performed by advocates are invalid. ■ The court ruled that advocates can solemnize “self-respect” marriages in their personal capacity as friends or relatives of the couple. ■ However, advocates should not solemnize these marriages in their professional capacity. ■ The court also ruled that “self-respect” marriages do not need to be publicly declared or solemnized. ■ The Self-Respect Marriage Law, or Suyamariyathai, was legalized in 1968 by the state of Tamil Nadu. The law allows two Hindus to marry in the presence of friends or relatives without the need for a Brahmin priest or elaborate rituals. The law requires the consent of both parties, who must meet the minimum age requirement for marriage. ■ The Self-Respect Marriage Law is considered an alternative to conventional marriages. It disregards Brahminical rituals, caste endogamy, religious restrictions, and gender norms.

(d) Why in news? Recently, the Indian government has warned against a new scam called ‘Smishing’. In smishing attacks, hackers target their victims exclusively using text messages or SMS—whereas, in vishing attacks (short for “voice phishing”), hackers use voice communication like phone calls and voicemails to pose as legitimate organizations and manipulate victims.

(a) Only statement 3 is correct. Why in news? On July 20, India’s government announced that it would stop exporting non-basmati white rice, effective immediately. The ban has sent the Asian market into a panic. Now there’s concern about food inflation, especially across Asia. ■ Aman variety of rice is sown between the rainy season and harvested in winter. ■ Aus variety of rice is sown in summer along with pre-monsoonal falls and harvested in autumn. ■ Boro variety of rice is sown in winter and harvested in summer, this is known as spring rice. ■ In India, the production percentage of Aus is 43.91% , Aman is 48.79% , Boro is 7−24%.

(b) Statement 1 is not correct. Why in news? A recent study suggests that a combination of global warming and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), could lead to an increase in the frequency of tropical cyclones originating near the Equator. ■ The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is a natural climate pattern that affects the temperature of the Pacific Ocean and the weather patterns around it. ■ The PDO is a pattern of ocean-atmosphere climate variability. ■ The PDO shifts between warm and cool phases, with each phase lasting around 20-30 years ■ During a “warm”, or “positive”, phase, the west Pacific becomes cooler and part of the eastern ocean warms. ■ During a “cool”, or “negative”, phase, the opposite pattern occurs. ■ The PDO is often quantified by the use of an index, referred to as the PDO Index. ■ The PDO Index is calculated by spatially averaging the monthly sea surface temperature (SST) of the Pacific Ocean north of 20°N ■ The PDO has been linked to slower global warming because cold phases of the PDO increase the mixing of colder, deep ocean waters with warmer surface waters. This temporarily reduces the rate of global warming caused by increasing greenhouse gas emissions. ■ The PDO also has impacts on the weather. A warm phase tends to cause heavy rains in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and droughts in Asia and Australia. ■ A cold phase tends to cause droughts in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and floods in Asia and Australia.

(c) Why in news? Researchers have created a breakthrough Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) that enables a severely paralyzed woman to communicate using a digital avatar. This marks the first instance of synthesizing speech and facial expressions directly from brain signals. ■ Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) establish a direct communication pathway between the human brain and external devices. ■ They interpret brain signals using advanced technology, allowing individuals to control devices or computers through their thoughts, bypassing traditional physical inputs or movements. ■ They hold potential in assistive technology, neurorehabilitation, research, and enhanced control applications like gaming.