Set C Answer Key

Ecuador is the correct answer. The Tungurahua Volcano, whose name translates to "Throat of Fire" in the indigenous Quichua language, is a highly active stratovolcano located in the Cordillera Oriental of the central Andes in Ecuador. In April 2025, the volcano and its surrounding territory were officially designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark. The newly designated geopark spans over 2,300 square kilometers across the Tungurahua and Chimborazo provinces, preserving over 417 million years of geological history, including volcanic formations and glacial activity. It sits within Sangay National Park and towers over the town of Baños de Agua Santa.

Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia are incorrect. While these are all South American nations that share the Andes mountain range and possess their own significant volcanic peaks (such as Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia or Ubinas in Peru), the Tungurahua Volcano is located exclusively within the borders of Ecuador.

Therefore, the correct option is A.

Statement 1 is Correct: Madhav National Park was officially declared as India's 58th Tiger Reserve (and the 9th in Madhya Pradesh) by the Union Environment Ministry in March 2025, following a successful tiger reintroduction program that began in 2023.

Statement 2 is Correct: Sakhya Sagar, a human-made reservoir created in 1918, is situated inside Madhav National Park. It was officially designated as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2022 and is known for its abundant marsh crocodile population and migratory waterfowl.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: Madhav National Park is located entirely within the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, situated on the northern fringe of the Central Highlands. It does not share its area with Rajasthan.

Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is Correct: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands feature a humid, tropical coastal climate. Due to their equatorial proximity and oceanic surroundings, they experience uniform warm temperatures (averaging 23°C to 31°C) and high relative humidity (approximately 80%) year-round.

Statement 2 is Correct: The archipelago is unique in its rainfall pattern, as it receives substantial precipitation from both the South-West Monsoon and the North-East Monsoon.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: The maximum precipitation occurs during the South-West monsoon season, specifically between May and September (peaking heavily in July and August). The period between December and May is actually the driest part of the year, making it the peak tourist season. It does not receive the maximum precipitation during this time.

Therefore, the correct option is B.

Statement 1 is Correct: During the Early Tertiary period, the western flank of the Peninsular block underwent tectonic subsidence (sinking). This led to its partial submergence beneath the sea, which formed the current submerged western coastline and disturbed the original symmetrical river pattern.

Statement 2 is Correct: The Peninsular Block is an ancient, rigid, and stable landmass. It primarily consists of highly denuded relict and residual mountains (remnants of older mountains). Standard geographical texts explicitly list the Aravali, Nallamala, Javadi, Veliconda, Palkonda, and Mahendragiri hills as key examples of these residual ranges.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: Because the Peninsular drainage system is much older than the Himalayan one, its rivers have reached maturity. They are characterized by broad, shallow, graded valleys with low gradients, rather than deep cuts. Deep gorges, V-shaped valleys, rapids, and waterfalls are indicative of youthful topography and active vertical erosion. These features are characteristic of the fast-flowing Himalayan river system, which cuts through young, weak, and flexible geological structures, unlike the stable Peninsular Block.

Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Relationship 1 is Correct: Statement I outlines the core objective of the Sagarmala Programme, launched in 2015, which is port-led economic development through cost-effective and sustainable coastal infrastructure. Statement II provides empirical evidence of its success, such as the 118% growth in coastal shipping, a 700% surge in inland waterway cargo movement, and improved global port rankings (with nine Indian ports now in the global top 100). Thus, the tangible achievements in Statement II directly validate the effectiveness of the foundational strategies mentioned in Statement I.

Relationship 2 is Correct: Statement III highlights the goals of Sagarmala 2.0, which focuses on smart ports, green shipping, and positioning India as a global maritime innovation hub aligned with the Viksit Bharat 2047 and Atmanirbhar Bharat visions. This acts as an evolutionary extension of the foundational infrastructure goals in Statement I, embedding them into a broader, future-oriented innovation framework rather than replacing them.

Relationship 3 is Incorrect: Statement I does not contradict Statement III. The initial focus on traditional and sustainable coastal infrastructure in the original Sagarmala Programme serves as the necessary physical base upon which the modern innovation and technology-driven goals of Sagarmala 2.0 are built. The two phases are complementary and represent a progressive policy evolution, not a contradiction.

Therefore, relationships 1 and 2 are correct, making Option B the correct choice.

Statement 1 is Correct: Rhynchostylis retusa (commonly known as the Foxtail orchid) is an epiphytic orchid. It grows on the trunks and branches of trees in open forests, using the host tree for physical support and absorbing moisture from the air, rather than acting as a parasite.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: The species is not endemic to North-east India. It has a vast native range across Tropical Asia, including China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Within India, while it is highly prominent in the North-east, it is also naturally distributed in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and several other states.

Statement 3 is Correct: It is officially recognized as the State flower of both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. In Assam, it is culturally significant, known locally as Kopou Phool, and is an essential part of traditional Bihu dance attire and local wedding ceremonies.

Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: Moidams (or Maidams) were not used as army fortresses. They are traditional mound-burial systems (tumuli) of the Tai-Ahom religion.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: They did not serve as recreation centres for the Royals and Nobles.

Statement 3 is Correct: Moidams served exclusively as the royal necropolis (burial grounds) for Ahom kings, queens, and nobles. The vaults enshrine the mortal remains of the deceased along with cherished objects, food, horses, elephants, and historically even attendants, reflecting Tai-Ahom cosmological beliefs about the afterlife. The most prominent concentration of these is located in Charaideo, Assam, which was the first capital of the Ahom kingdom. In July 2024, they were officially inscribed as India's 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Statement 4 is Incorrect: They were not battle drill centres.

Therefore, only statement 3 is correct.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations guides its global work through a strategic framework aimed at supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The core organizing principle of this framework is the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems to achieve the "Four Betters".

The "Four Betters" are officially defined as:

1. Better Production: Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.
2. Better Nutrition: Ending hunger, achieving food security, and improving access to healthy diets.
3. Better Environment: Protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
4. Better Life: Promoting inclusive economic growth and reducing inequalities, leaving no one behind.

The Blue Transformation is a specific FAO vision and programmatic priority area that aims to secure and maximize the contribution of aquatic food systems (fisheries and aquaculture) to achieve these overarching "Four Betters".

Options A, C, and D are incorrect because they include fabricated pillars such as "better ocean", "better coral reefs", "better estuaries", or "better mangrove vegetation", which are not part of the FAO's official strategic framework.

Therefore, Option B is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is correct: Lake Turkana is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. By volume, it is also the fourth-largest salt lake globally.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The lake is situated in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa. It lies predominantly in northern Kenya, with its northernmost tip crossing into Ethiopia. It is not located in South Sudan, nor is it associated with the Sahara Desert.

Statement 3 is correct: The Lake Turkana National Parks (comprising Sibiloi, South Island, and Central Island National Parks) are collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lake is famously nicknamed the 'Jade Sea' due to its striking turquoise/greenish-blue waters, a color produced by the abundant presence of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria).

Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

The Khasi Hills Community REDD+ Project holds the distinction of being India’s very first REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) project.

It is certified under the Plan Vivo Standard, a globally recognized, fair-trade-styled framework specifically designed for community-based forest carbon projects. The project is located in the East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya, situated along the Umiam River watershed. It is managed by a federation of 10 indigenous Khasi tribal kingdoms (comprising over 60 local communities), locally known as a Synjuk. The project utilizes REDD+ to protect existing dense forests and ancient indigenous sacred groves, and Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) to restore degraded open forests.

Uttarakhand REDD+ project is incorrect as, while Uttarakhand has engaged in REDD+ readiness and pilot initiatives, it does not hold the title of the first Plan Vivo certified project in India.

ICFRE-ICIMOD Transboundary REDD+ project in North-Eastern Himalayas is incorrect. This is a broader transboundary initiative focused on capacity building and REDD+ readiness across Himalayan countries, rather than a specific, first-of-its-kind Plan Vivo certified community project in India.

Sikkim Mamley Kamrang Community REDD+ project is incorrect. Although Sikkim has undertaken significant forest conservation and climate mitigation efforts, the Khasi Hills project is officially recognized as India's first Plan Vivo certified REDD+ project.

Therefore, the correct option is C.

Statement I is Correct: India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is indeed a crucial tool for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. It outlines the strategic framework necessary for sectoral transitions in energy, transport, industry, and forestry to meet this long-term goal.

Statement II is Incorrect: While India's 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) does record an approximately 8% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 compared to 2019, this decrease is attributed to the economic slowdown and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, not to structural or strategic efforts towards long-term emission reductions. Therefore, it does not empirically support the strategic framework of LT-LEDS.

Statement III is Correct: The IPCC emphasizes that climate-resilient development depends on rapid, deep, and immediate emission reductions in the short term. This approach can be seen as contradicting the long-term focus of strategies like LT-LEDS if they do not also incorporate aggressive short-term actions.

Therefore, the correct relationship is that Statement III contradicts the approach implicit in Statement I, making option B correct.

Statement 1 is Correct: The Western Hoolock Gibbon is native to North-east India, and the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary in Assam is a prominent protected area specifically dedicated to this species. Furthermore, the Western Hoolock Gibbon is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Statement 2 is Correct: They are highly arboreal canopy-dwellers. They move primarily through brachiation—a specialized mode of locomotion where they use their exceptionally long arms to swing swiftly and effortlessly from tree branch to tree branch.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: Gibbons are classified as "lesser apes" (family Hylobatidae). Unlike "great apes" such as gorillas which possess massive, heavy builds, Hoolock gibbons are small, slender, and lightweight. Adults typically weigh only 6 to 9 kg, a physical adaptation that is essential for their remarkable aerial agility in the forest canopy.

Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: Mangroves do not store freshwater, nor are they naturally suited for paddy cultivation. In fact, the clearing of mangrove forests to create agricultural land (like paddy fields) has historically been a primary driver of their destruction, rather than a reason for their protection.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: Mangroves are halophytes, meaning they are highly salt-tolerant, not salt-sensitive. While their specialized root systems have ultrafiltration mechanisms to exclude salt, they do not convert coastal lands into freshwater zones. Furthermore, clearing mangroves for shrimp and aquaculture farms is a major threat to these ecosystems, not a conservation rationale.

Statement 3 is Correct: In the context of climate resilience, mangroves act as natural bio-shields. Their dense root networks (such as stilt roots and pneumatophores) stabilize coastal soils and dissipate tidal energy, protecting coasts from storm surges and cyclones. Additionally, they are highly productive ecosystems that provide sustainable biomass resources (like timber, honey, and fish breeding grounds), forming a crucial livelihood base for rural coastal communities.

Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Vizhinjam International Seaport is designed as an international container transshipment hub, not an exclusively domestic cargo hub. Rather than reducing reliance on coastal shipping, a transshipment hub relies heavily on a "hub-and-spoke" model, where large mother ships offload cargo that is then distributed to other Indian ports via smaller coastal feeder vessels. Furthermore, it actively seeks to attract foreign shipping lines and global integration, rather than eliminating foreign collaborations.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: While the port has provisions for a cruise terminal, its primary focus is handling international container transshipment and multi-purpose cargo. It is not primarily focused on passenger cruise tourism or heritage shipping.

Statement 3 is Correct: Vizhinjam leverages its natural deep draft of 18 to 24 meters, allowing it to berth Ultra Large Container Ships (ULCS) that previously bypassed Indian ports. Situated just 10 nautical miles from the busy East-West international shipping corridor, it aims to reclaim transshipment cargo historically handled by foreign hubs like Colombo, Singapore, and Jebel Ali. This structural shift reduces dependence on foreign ports, retains an estimated $200 to $400 million annually in transshipment revenues, and repositions India in regional maritime trade.

Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

The Sutlej perfectly matches all the given criteria.

• Antecedent drainage system: Rivers like the Indus, Brahmaputra, and Sutlej are classic examples of antecedent drainage, as they existed before the Himalayan upliftment and maintained their courses by cutting deep gorges.
• Flows through three countries: The Sutlej flows through China (Tibet), India, and Pakistan. The Indus (China, India, Pakistan) and Brahmaputra (China, India, Bangladesh) also flow through three countries. The Teesta flows through only two (India and Bangladesh), making it incorrect.
• Originates in the Tibetan Plateau: The Sutlej originates from Rakshastal near Mansarovar in the Tibetan Plateau. It is a crucial source of irrigation, feeding major projects like the Bhakra-Nangal Dam and the Indira Gandhi Canal.
• Does not form distributaries: This is the defining characteristic that eliminates the other options. Both the Brahmaputra and the Indus form large deltas with multiple distributaries before emptying into the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, respectively. The Sutlej, on the other hand, is a tributary that merges with the Chenab River to form the Panjnad, which subsequently flows into the Indus River. It does not form distributaries.

Therefore, the correct option is C.

Statement 1 is Correct: Uttar Pradesh shares its boundary with the highest number of Indian jurisdictions. It borders 8 states (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar) and 1 Union Territory (Delhi).

Statement 2 is Incorrect: West Bengal has the longest international border among all Indian states, totaling approximately 2,509 km. It borders Bangladesh (over 2,216 km alone), Bhutan, and Nepal. Rajasthan's international border with Pakistan is much shorter at 1,070 km.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: Sikkim is not the only Indian state sharing its boundary with just one other state. There are exactly two such states in India: Sikkim (borders only West Bengal) and Meghalaya (borders only Assam).

Therefore, statements 2 and 3 are not correct, making the correct option C.

Statement 1 is Correct: Doyang Lake in Nagaland represents a major community-led conservation victory. Previously, hundreds of thousands of Amur Falcons were trapped and hunted annually. Following sustained interventions by conservationists, NGOs, and the Nagaland Forest Department, local communities completely stopped the hunting, turning into protectors. This safe passage earned Nagaland the title "Falcon Capital of the World."

Statement 2 is Incorrect: Scientists use advanced tracking technologies (like lightweight solar-powered satellite transmitters) to monitor and study the falcons' migration routes, stopover durations, and flight speeds. These devices collect data for researchers; they do not guide the birds. The falcons rely entirely on natural navigation and environmental cues to find their way back to stopover sites.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: Amur Falcons are long-distance migratory raptors, not permanent residents of India. They breed in Siberia and Northern China and migrate annually to their wintering grounds in Southern Africa. During their approximately 22,000 km journey, they use Northeast India—specifically Doyang Lake in Nagaland—as a temporary stopover for a few weeks (October–November) to build fat reserves before undertaking a massive non-stop flight across the Arabian Sea.

Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Rainfed Area Development (RAD) scheme explicitly promotes Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) rather than monoculture. It integrates multi-cropping and rotational cropping with allied activities like horticulture, livestock, fishery, and agro-forestry to diversify income and build resilience. Official guidelines actively discourage single-cropping (monoculture) systems.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: As the name implies, RAD targets rainfed areas (regions lacking assured irrigation) to build resilience against climate variability. It does not focus on expanding water-intensive crops like rice in already irrigated regions.

Statement 3 is Correct: The core objective of RAD is to make rainfed agriculture more productive, sustainable, remunerative, and climate-resilient. By diversifying income sources through Integrated Farming Systems (IFS), RAD aims to minimize the risks associated with climatic variability (such as droughts, heat stress, or floods) and crop failure, ensuring stable livelihoods for farmers.

Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is Correct: The OEKO-TEX certification ensures that textiles are rigorously tested and proven free from harmful substances, heavy metals, and toxic chemicals. This certification acts as a major endorsement, directly enhancing the global marketability of Eri Silk and allowing Indian exporters to confidently compete in high-end international markets that prioritize sustainable, chemical-free, and ethically produced textiles.

Statement 2 is Correct: The certification confirms that a textile meets strict international safety, environmental, and human health standards. This is highly valued by buyers in premium, eco-conscious global markets, particularly in Europe and North America. Combined with its Geographical Indication (GI) status and reputation as a cruelty-free "peace silk," the certification cements Eri Silk's position as a premium eco-friendly fabric, enabling its entry into these premium markets.

Therefore, both statements are correct, making the correct option C.

Statement 1 is Correct: Bahrain is an island nation situated entirely within the Persian Gulf. The Strait of Hormuz is the only sea passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the open ocean. Therefore, for a ship departing from Bahrain to reach the Indian Ocean, it must exit the Persian Gulf by passing through this strait.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: Syria is located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea and has no coastline on the Persian Gulf. Ships departing from Syria would reach the Indian Ocean by traveling through the Suez Canal, down the Red Sea, and out through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, completely bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.

Statement 3 is Correct: Qatar is a peninsular country located on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, surrounded by the waters of the Persian Gulf. Like Bahrain, its ships must cross the Strait of Hormuz to access the Indian Ocean.

Statement 4 is Incorrect: Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east. Ships from Egypt can access the Indian Ocean directly by sailing south through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, without entering the Persian Gulf or crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

Therefore, the correct option is B.