Answer: (b)
Statement 1 is correct: The FCRA is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Statement 2 is correct: Political parties are prohibited from accepting foreign contributions under the
Act.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Public servants are strictly prohibited from receiving foreign
contributions, even with prior approval.Therefore, option (b) is the correct answe

5) Consider the following statements regarding the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association
(HSRA):
1. 2. 3. It aimed to overthrow British rule in India through armed revolution.
The organisation adopted socialism as part of its ideological framework.
HSRA was responsible for the assassination of John Saunders in 1928

5) Answer: (d)
Statement 1 is correct: HSRA aimed to overthrow British rule through armed revolutionary
methods.
Statement 2 is correct: The organisation explicitly incorporated socialist ideology, as reflected in its
name and objectives.
Statement 3 is correct: HSRA revolutionaries, including Bhagat Singh and associates, were involved
in the assassination of John Saunders in 1928 in retaliation for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.Therefore,
option (d) is the correct answers

1) The Corruption Perceptions Index is released by:
(a) World Bank
(b) Transparency International
(c) International Monetary Fund
(d) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

1) Answer: (B)
●
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is released by Transparency
International.It is a global civil society organization based in Berlin, which has
published the index annually since 1995.
●
Role as Aggregator: Transparency International acts as the independent body that
combines 13 different data sources (from experts and business people) to create the
final score.
●
Therefore, option B is the correct answe

2) Consider the following statements regarding Scheduled Castes (SCs) in India:
1. The initial list of Scheduled Castes for a State is notified by the Legislature of that
State.
2. Any subsequent inclusion or exclusion from the list can only be done by an Act of
Parliament.
3. Only individuals professing Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism can be deemed
members of a Scheduled Caste.

Answer: (C)
Under Article 341(1) of the Constitution, the power to notify the initial list of Scheduled
Castes for a State or Union Territory lies with the President of India, usually in
consultation with the Governor of that State. The State Legislature does not have the
authority to notify this list. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
According to Article 341(2), once the initial list is notified by the President, any further
changes including adding or removing a community can only be made by a law enacted by
Parliament. The President cannot issue a subsequent notification to modify the list.
Hence, statement 2 is correct.
The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 specifies that no person who professes a
religion different from Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism shall be deemed to be a member
of a Scheduled Caste.
Originally, it was limited to Hinduism. It was amended in 1956 to include Sikhism and in
1990 to include Buddhism. Hence, statement 3 is correct. Therefore, option C is the
correct answer.

3) Consider the following statements regarding the Border Area Development Programme
(BADP):
1. It is a Central Sector Scheme fully funded by the Union Government.
2. The programme primarily focuses on development activities within 0–10 km from the
international border.
3. It is implemented by the Ministry of Defence.

The Border Area Development Programme (BADP) was launched to meet the special
developmental needs of people living in remote and inaccessible border areas and to
promote a sense of security among them.
●
BADP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)
●
Funding is shared between Centre and States, unlike Central Sector schemes
which are fully Union-funded. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
The programme follows a "top-priority" approach. Development activities are concentrated
in the immediate vicinity of the international border. The primary focus is on habitations
situated within 0–10 km of the border. If resources remain, they are then extended to the
rest of the border block. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
While the programme relates to border security and infrastructure, it is not implemented by
the Ministry of Defence. It is implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs (Department
of Border Management) through the respective State Governments and Union Territory
administrations. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect. Therefore, option A is the correct
answer.

4) With reference to the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Lok Sabha, consider the
following statements:
1. It is a standing committee of the Parliament.
2. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs is usually a member of this committee.
3. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is the ex-officio Chairman of the BAC in the Lok
Sabha.

4) Answer: (D)
The BAC is a Standing Committee, meaning it is permanent in nature and is reconstituted
periodically (usually annually) under the Rules of Procedure of the House. Unlike 'Ad-hoc'
committees, which are created for a specific task and dissolved, the BAC is a constant
fixture of the parliamentary process. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
While the committee is chaired by the Speaker, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs is
typically included as a member. This is a functional necessity, as the Minister acts as the
primary liaison between the government's legislative goals and the committee's role in
scheduling them. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
By virtue of their position, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is the ex-officio Chairman of the
committee. Similarly, in the Rajya Sabha, the Chairman (the Vice-President of India) heads
the committee. Hence, statement 3 is correct. Therefore, option D is the correct answ

5) Regarding the Selection Committee for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner
(CEC) and other Election Commissioners (ECs) under the 2023 Act, consider the following
statements:
1. The committee is chaired by the President of India.
2. It includes a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.
3. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha is a membe

5) Answer: (D)
The selection committee for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and
Election Commissioners (ECs) is constituted under the Chief Election Commissioner and
Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of
Office) Act, 2023.
The committee is not chaired by the President of India. The President appoints the CEC
and ECs, but does not head the selection committee. The committee is chaired by the
Prime Minister. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
The Act established a specific three-member Selection Committee to recommend names to
the President for these appointments. Here is the breakdown of the members:
1. Chairperson: The Prime Minister2.
Member: The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha. If there is no
recognized LoP, the leader of the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha is
included. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
Member: A Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister. Hence,
statement 2 is correct. Therefore, option D is the correct answ

1) With reference to the microplastics, consider the following statements:
1. They can enter the food chain through aquatic organisms.
2. They can act as carriers of toxic chemicals.
3. They are completely removed during conventional wastewater treatment.