Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 — Correct: A typical white dwarf forms when a low- or intermediate-mass star evolves into a red giant and expels its outer layers, leaving behind its hot, dense core.

Statement 2 — Correct: Electron degeneracy pressure, arising from quantum-mechanical principles associated with the Pauli Exclusion Principle, counteracts gravity.

Statement 3 — Incorrect: A white dwarf generally no longer sustains nuclear fusion. It radiates its stored thermal energy and gradually cools.

Statement 4 — Correct: The Chandrasekhar limit is approximately 1.4 solar masses. Above this limit, an ordinary white dwarf cannot remain stable under electron degeneracy pressure alone.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 — Correct: The survey was organised by the Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department in collaboration with the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS).

Statement 2 — Incorrect: The 36 records are additions to existing regional checklists, not necessarily species newly discovered by science.

Statement 3 — Correct: The Western Ghats are a globally significant biodiversity hotspot, known for their high levels of endemism.

Statement 4 — Correct: Butterflies are important pollinators, while dragonflies and damselflies (odonates) help regulate insect populations and can serve as indicators of freshwater habitat quality.

Answer: D

Explanation:

Pair 1 — Correct: Article 48A, a Directive Principle of State Policy, directs the State to protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife.

Pair 2 — Correct: Article 51A(g), a Fundamental Duty, requires citizens to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to show compassion for living creatures.

Pair 3 — Correct: The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, provides the statutory framework for wildlife protection, restrictions on hunting and the regulation of protected areas. Its 2022 amendment also addressed matters such as CITES-related international trade and invasive alien species.

Pair 4 — Correct: The Biological Diversity Act, 2002, promotes biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits arising from biological resources. It was amended in 2023.

Answer: D

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: 1G bioethanol relies directly on edible/food or cash-crop starches and sugars (such as sugarcane juice, molasses, maize, and broken rice).

Statement 2 is correct: 2G ethanol is manufactured from non-food plant fibrous waste (lignocellulose), such as rice straw, wheat straw, and bamboo, which helps mitigate the "food vs. fuel" dilemma.

Statement 3 is correct: B-heavy molasses is an intermediate byproduct of the sugar crystal-extraction process that still holds substantial fermentable sugars, yielding significantly more ethanol per tonne than C-heavy molasses, which is why diverting it directly impacts commercial sugar output.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: MAHASAGAR expands to Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.

Statement 2 is correct: Maritime partnerships and cooperative engagement are consistent with this vision.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The vision is not defined as an exclusive framework limited to Indian Ocean littoral states. Its stated emphasis is broader regional cooperation.