26 April 2024

Q1. Consider the following statements about the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT):

1. It prohibits “any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion” anywhere in the world.
2. India is not a member of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
3. The Treaty’s entry into force depends on 44 specific States that must have signed and ratified the Treaty.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Ans: (c)

Explanation

• Context: Russia has recently suggested the possibility of withdrawing its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), not to resume nuclear testing but to align with the United States.
• The CTBT is a global treaty, adopted by the United Nations in 1996, aimed at prohibiting all nuclear explosions for military or peaceful purposes. However, it has not yet entered into force due to the incomplete ratification process by several countries.
• About the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT):
• The origins of the CTBT can be traced back to the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, which conducted numerous nuclear tests from 1945 to 1996, causing concerns about the environmental and health impacts of radioactive fallout.
• Various attempts to limit nuclear testing were made, including the Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty in 1963, which prohibited tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater but allowed underground testing.
• The CTBT, established in 1996, sought to impose a complete ban on explosive nuclear testing, taking advantage of reduced geopolitical tensions after the end of the Cold War. Despite its adoption, some countries have conducted nuclear tests since then, including India, Pakistan, and North Korea.
• The treaty requires ratification by 44 specific countries with nuclear technology, and eight of them, including China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, and the United States, have yet to do so.

Q2. Consider the following statements about the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW):

1. It is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons.
2. It was passed in 1974 after India conducted its first nuclear test.
3. The treaty prohibits the development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer and use of nuclear weapons for all the UN member countries.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), or the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty, is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons, with the goal of leading towards their total elimination. It was adopted on 7 July 2017, opened for signature on 20 September 2017, and entered into force on 22 January 2021.
• For those nations that are party to it, the treaty prohibits the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons, as well as assistance and encouragement to the prohibited activities. For nuclear armed states joining the treaty, it provides for a time-bound framework for negotiations leading to the verified and irreversible elimination of its nuclear weapons programme.

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):

1. IAEA is entrusted with the task of upholding the principles of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1970.
2. IAEA works with its member states and multiple partners worldwide to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies.
3. It was established under the UN treaty and it reports to both the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Ans: (b)

Explanation

• Statement 3 is wrong.
• As the preeminent nuclear watchdog under the UN, the IAEA is entrusted with the task of upholding the principles of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1970. Established as an autonomous organisation on July 29, 1957, at the height of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, the IAEA claims that it “works with its member states and multiple partners worldwide to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies”. Though established independently of the UN through its own international treaty, the agency reports to both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.

Q4. Watermeal is a:

(a) Small, floating aquatic plant

(b) Type of algae

(c) Type of fish

(d) Type of insect

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Watermeal, known for its tiny size and floating habit on water bodies, offers a unique subject for this research due to its simplicity and rapid growth rate. It lacks roots, stems, or leaves, making it an ideal candidate for studying the effects of altered gravity on plant development.
• Watermeal is not only scientifically intriguing but also has practical benefits. It is a prolific producer of oxygen through photosynthesis and a rich source of protein. In Thailand, it has been part of the local diet for generations.

Q5. Consider the following statements:

1. Manas National Park is a biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. Dholes are wild dogs native to Asia.
3. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists dholes as endangered.

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Context: A recent study conducted in Assam’s Manas National Park has revealed that the coexistence and potential cooperation between Asiatic wild dogs (dholes) and tigers are influenced by factors such as prey availability and habitat suitability.
• Dholes are an endangered species and the only pack-living canid in India’s tropical forests.
• The study revealed a positive relationship between the two species in terms of habitat use. This unexpected finding suggests that factors like overlapping prey availability and habitat suitability could facilitate coexistence or even cooperative behaviours between dholes and tigers.
• Manas National Park is a biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Dholes are wild dogs native to Asia.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists dholes as endangered. There are only 1000–2000 adults.