Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Supreme Court held that ex post facto clearance is generally impermissible, but it did not rule out an absolute ban in every single scenario. It noted that in exceptional cases, the government may regularize a project under Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, only if it is expressly authorized by law and backed by compelling public interest.

Statement 2 is correct: The Court struck down the 2021 OM because it violated Article 14 (arbitrary treatment/perpetual amnesty) and Article 21 (weakening environmental protection, which forms part of the Right to Life).

Statement 3 is incorrect: The ruling has prospective effect, meaning clearances already granted under the 2017 notification and 2021 OM remain valid unless they are individually challenged. Major public infrastructure projects already built under these rules will not face demolition.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The EIA Notification of 2006, which makes prior environmental clearance mandatory before beginning construction for specified categories of projects, is statutory and issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Statement 2 is incorrect: A key highlight of the Supreme Court's verdict is that executive orders cannot override law. Administrative instructions or office memoranda cannot supersede or dilute statutory safeguards established by notifications like the EIA 2006. Prior environmental clearance remains the rule.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a biennial (released every two years) assessment, not an annual one. It is developed and published by the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy (YCELP) and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University, along with the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions—not by UNEP or the World Bank.

Statement 2 is correct: The EPI 2026 edition evaluates 177 countries using 47 performance indicators sorted into 12 issue categories under three main policy goals: Environmental Health, Ecosystem Vitality, and Climate Change Mitigation.

Statement 3 is correct: In the 2026 rankings, Estonia secured the top position, whereas Laos was ranked last (177th) with a score of 21.78.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: India ranked 176th out of 177 countries in the EPI 2026 report, placing it near the bottom of the global index just ahead of Laos.

Statement 2 is incorrect: India achieved an overall score of 22.46, which is significantly lower than the regional average score of 31.81 for South Asia.

Statement 3 is correct: The assessment explicitly highlighted major ecological pressures on India, pointing out severe tree cover loss in key biodiversity areas alongside ongoing challenges with air quality and habitat protection [0.3, 0.4].

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 – Correct: The share of New-to-Credit (NTC) borrowers declined from 32% (2017) to 13% (2026), reflecting lenders' increasing reliance on existing borrowers.

Statement 2 – Correct: Consumption credit increased from 34% to 51%, indicating a shift toward lifestyle-driven and unsecured borrowing.

Statement 3 – Incorrect: Borrower growth slowed, with the CAGR of credit-active consumers declining from 14% (2017–19) to 9% (2024–26).

Statement 4 – Correct: Commercial lending participation has declined, highlighting continued gaps in formal credit access for MSMEs.