Answer: (A)

Explanation:

• It is a kind of free trade pact that covers negotiation on the trade in services and investment, and other areas of economic partnership. It may even consider negotiation in areas such as trade facilitation and customs cooperation, competition, and IPR. Partnership agreements or cooperation agreements are more extensive in scope compared to Free Trade Agreements. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• India has entered into CEPAs with South Korea, Japan, UAE. India does not have a CEPA with USA. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• CECA is mainly concerned with tariff reductions and the elimination of all items that are considered to be listed tariff rate quota items. On the other hand, CEPA has the same components of CECA with an additional focus and options in the terms of trade investments and services. CEPA is much broader and more complicated compared to CECA. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Answer: (B)

Explanation: The bright red star Betelgeuse is known as "Thiruvathirai" or "Ardra" in Indian astronomy. Betelgeuse is located in the constellation Orion and is easily visible. Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star classified as spectral type M1-2. It is one of the largest stars visible to the naked eye. Betelgeuse's size is so immense that if it were located at the center of our Solar System, its surface would extend beyond the asteroid belt and engulf the orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. Hence, option (b) is correct.

Answer: (C)

Explanation:

• Homo naledi shared some similarities with humans, like walking upright and manipulating objects by hand, but members of the species had smaller heads, a shorter stature, and were thinner and more powerfully built. Homo naledi appears to have lived near the same time as early ancestors of modern humans. Both the statements are independent of each other. Hence, both statements are correct.
• Homo naledi, an extinct human species, was discovered in South Africa's Rising Star cave system, with more than 15 individuals found. o Recent studies claim Homo naledi practiced intentional burial and created rock art, indicating advanced cognitive abilities.

Answer: (A)

Explanation:

• The courts in India do consider "due process of law" in addition to the "procedure established by law" while interpreting Article 21. This means that they not only focus on whether the prescribed legal procedure has been followed but also ensure that the procedure is fair, just, and reasonable. Hence statement – I is correct.
• The inclusion of "due process of law" ensures that the procedure followed is fair, just, and reasonable, thereby protecting the rights of individuals.
• By incorporating "due process of law," the legal system aims to prevent arbitrary or unjust actions that may infringe upon an individual's rights. It guarantees that individuals are provided with fundamental safeguards and protections during legal proceedings, contributing to the overall fairness and justice of the procedure. Hence statement – II is correct.

Answer: (A)

Explanation: Diego Garcia Island is a coral atoll and the largest member of the Chagos Archipelago, located in the central Indian Ocean.

• It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory and houses a crucial U.S. air and naval base.
• The Chagos Archipelago has been a subject of territorial dispute between the United Kingdom and Mauritius.
• In 1965, the UK separated the Chagos islands from Mauritius, establishing the British Indian Ocean Territory.
• The UK leased Diego Garcia to the US in 1966, leading to the forcible removal of the island's inhabitants.
• In 2019, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion calling for the decolonization of Mauritius and an end to the UK's administration of the Chagos Archipelago.