Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The cryosphere (comprising glaciers, ice sheets, sea ice, permafrost, etc.) plays a critical role in cooling the Earth by reflecting sunlight back into space (albedo effect). Additionally, the melting of cryospheric ice introduces fresh water into the oceans, which alters density and salinity, thereby directly influencing global ocean circulation patterns.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The reports highlight that the cryosphere warms faster than the global average. Specifically, in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, a global warming threshold of 1.5°C does not mirror the global average; instead, it translates to an amplified regional warming of 1.8–2.2°C.

Statement 3 is correct: According to the findings of the Overshoot and the Cryosphere reports, the polar ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are experiencing accelerated degradation, losing ice mass at approximately six times the rate recorded back in the 1990s.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Permafrost is scientifically defined as ground (soil or rock, including ice and organic material) that remains at or below 0°C (32°F) for at least two consecutive years, not five years.

Statement 2 is correct: The study notes that the sudden failure of natural moraine or ice dams is predominantly triggered by external shocks. Ice avalanches account for the largest share at 50% of recorded events, followed by intense rainfall contributing 25%, making them the top two major triggers.

Statement 3 is incorrect: While India recorded the highest number of human fatalities (6,119 deaths) due to GLOFs between 1835 and 2025, it did not record the highest number of events. India recorded 62 GLOF events, which is significantly lower than China (199 events) and Pakistan (152 events).

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct. The assessment represents the first global ecosystem-level assessment of coral reefs under the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems (RLE).

Statement 2 is correct. All 13 South Asian coral reef ecoregions are projected to reach the Critically Endangered category when future marine heat stress is incorporated.

Statement 3 is incorrect. The assessment covers five geographical components:

• India


• Bangladesh


• Sri Lanka


• Maldives


• Chagos Archipelago

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Coral reefs are famously dubbed the "Rainforests of the Sea" because they harbor massive biodiversity. They cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but support roughly 25% of all marine fish species.

Statement 2 is correct: The physical reef structures are formed by colonies of tiny marine organisms called coral polyps, which secrete hard exoskeletons made of calcium carbonate.

Statement 3 is correct: Coral bleaching is a stress response (primarily to high sea temperatures) where corals expel the symbiotic zooxanthellae algae living in their tissues. Because these algae provide the corals with nutrients through photosynthesis, losing them deprives the coral of its main food source and turns it white.

Statement 4 is incorrect: The statement swaps the functionalities of the two legal frameworks. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 provides legal protection directly to marine species associated with coral reef ecosystems. Conversely, the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification is the framework that regulates developmental activities and land use along coastal stretches.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: India is indeed Asia's second-largest higher education system after Mainland China in the QS Asia Rankings 2027, featuring 325 universities (including 34 new entrants).

Statement 2 is correct: Academic Reputation is the single largest indicator in the QS Asia rankings, carrying a 30% weightage.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Around 71% of Indian universities slipped in their ranks (while 18% improved and 11% remained stable), driven largely by declines in academic/employer reputation and internationalisation indicators, even though many improved their absolute overall scores.