Prelims Mantra (Practice Questions) (20/03/2026)

Answer: B

Explanation:

According to the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, a Geographical Indication (GI) tag can be registered for specific categories of goods but not for services.

• • Agricultural products: These are explicitly covered under the GI Act. Famous examples in India include Darjeeling Tea and Alphonso Mango.
  • Industrial goods: The Act also covers manufactured goods, which include both handicrafts (like Banarasi Sarees) and industrial products (such as Dindigul Locks or Solapur Chaddars).
  • Services: GIs are legally linked to the origin of tangible goods. The current legal framework in India does not allow for the registration of services under Geographical Indications.

Answer: C

Explanation:

• • Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is a renewable energy technology that generates electricity by leveraging the natural temperature gradient of the ocean.
  • For OTEC to operate efficiently, there must be a significant temperature difference typically at least 20°C (36°F) between the sun-warmed surface water and the much colder deep-sea water (usually found at depths of around 1,000 meters). This thermal gradient drives a thermodynamic cycle (usually the Rankine cycle) to vaporize a working fluid to turn a turbine.

Answer: B

Explanation:

According to the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, the anti-defection law is designed to prevent political instability by discouraging legislators from changing parties after being elected.

• • Anti-defection law applies only to Lok Sabha members: This is incorrect. The law applies to members of both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) as well as to members of State Legislative Assemblies and Councils.
  • Speaker’s decision is subject to judicial review: This is correct. In the landmark Kihoto Hollohan vs. Zachillhu (1992) case, the Supreme Court ruled that the Speaker (or Chairman) acts as a tribunal when deciding on disqualification. Therefore, their decision is subject to judicial review on grounds like mala fides, perversity, or violation of constitutional mandate.
  • Defection is allowed if 2/3 members merge: This is correct. While the original 1985 law allowed a “split” if 1/3 of the members defected, the 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003 removed that loophole. Currently, members are protected from disqualification only if at least two-thirds of the members of a legislature party agree to a merger with another political party.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Lithium is widely recognized as a “strategic” or “critical” mineral due to its role in the global transition to clean energy, but its specific applications are often misunderstood in general contexts.

• • Used in nuclear reactors as fuel: This is incorrect. While certain isotopes of lithium (like Lithium-6) are used in nuclear reactors as a coolant or to produce tritium for fusion, it is not the primary “fuel” for traditional nuclear fission reactors, which typically use Uranium or Plutonium.
  • Essential for rechargeable batteries: This is correct. Lithium’s high energy density and lightweight nature make it the core component of Lithium-ion batteries. These batteries power everything from portable electronics (smartphones, laptops) to Electric Vehicles (EVs) and grid-scale renewable energy storage.
  • Major component of fossil fuels: This is incorrect. Fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, and natural gas) are hydrocarbons formed from the remains of ancient organic matter. Lithium is a metal and is actually seen as a primary alternative to fossil fuels in the quest for decarbonization.

Answer: B

Explanation:

In the semiconductor industry, a “fabless” company is one that does not own its own fabrication plants (known as “fabs”). Instead, it focuses on the research, development, and design of hardware and chips, while hiring third-party manufacturers called foundries to physically produce them.

• • Specialisation: Fabless firms concentrate on creating the architecture and logic of the chip. This allows them to invest heavily in R&D without the massive capital burden of building and maintaining a multi-billion dollar factory.
  • Outsourcing: They provide their designs to foundries, such as TSMC or GlobalFoundries, which handle the actual chemical and mechanical fabrication on silicon wafers.
  • Examples: Well-known fabless companies include NVIDIA, Qualcomm, AMD, and Broadcom.

Answer: A

Explanation:

The bioeconomy refers to economic activities derived from the sustainable production and use of biological resources (biomass) and biological processes.

• • Production of vaccines: This is correct. The health sector, including the production of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and vaccines using biotechnology, is a major pillar of the bioeconomy.
  • Biofuel generation: This is correct. The energy sector’s use of biomass to produce fuels like ethanol, biodiesel, and biogas is a core component of the bioeconomy value chain.
  • Mining of minerals: This is incorrect. Mining involves the extraction of non-renewable geological materials

Answer: D

Explanation:

All three statements are technically incorrect under the Indian constitutional framework.

• • Parliamentary privileges are explicitly codified in India (Incorrect):
    Despite recommendations from various commissions, India has not yet passed a law to codify these privileges. Currently, they are governed by Article 105 (for Parliament) and Article 194 (for State Legislatures), which state that until defined by law, privileges shall be those of the House, its members, and committees. They are based on British House of Commons precedents, the Constitution, and various House rules.
  • Members enjoy absolute immunity outside the House (Incorrect):
    Privileges and immunities (like freedom of speech and immunity from court proceedings for votes/speeches) apply only to actions within the House or its committees. Outside the House, members are subject to the same laws as ordinary citizens. Furthermore, immunity from arrest applies only to civil cases (40 days before and after a session), not to criminal cases or preventive detention.
  • Courts have no jurisdiction over privilege matters (Incorrect):
    While the House is the master of its own internal proceedings, the Judiciary can intervene if a privilege violates Fundamental Rights (specifically Article 21) or if the exercise of privilege is “grossly illegal or unconstitutional.” The landmark Kashiram Rana case and the Searchlight case established that the Supreme Court and High Courts have the power of judicial review over the validity of a House’s decision on privilege.