1) Which of the following Ecosystem services are cultural services?
Carbon sequestration
Timber Forest Products
Ecotourism
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
Explanation
3 is correct – Cultural services are the non-material benefits people obtain from ecosystems, such as recreation, ecotourism, aesthetic appreciation, and spiritual enrichment.
1 is incorrect – Regulating service category includes benefits the ecosystem provides by regulating climate, floods, disease, and water quality.
2 is incorrect – Provisioning services includes any material benefits people extract from nature, such as food, water, raw materials, and medicinal resources.
2) With reference to the CE-20 cryogenic engine recently seen in the news, consider the following statements:
The CE-20 cryogenic engine powers the upper stage of the LVM3 launch vehicle, India's heaviest operational launch vehicle.
The CE-20 engine has completed the human-rating qualification required for use in the Gaganyaan mission.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct – The indigenously developed CE-20 cryogenic engine powers the upper stage (C25/C32 flight stage) of India's heaviest operational launch vehicle, the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).
It burns super-cooled liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen to provide high-efficiency thrust for injecting heavy payloads into orbit.
Statement 2 is correct – ISRO has successfully completed the rigorous human-rating qualification testing required for the CE-20 engine to be integrated into the Gaganyaan mission.
These tests evaluated life demonstration, endurance, and performance limits to ensure safety for human spaceflight.
3) The Digital Threat Report 2025–26 is recently released by?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
Explanation
Option a is correct – Digital Threat Report 2025–26 released by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
The report highlights AI asymmetry and emerging cyber trends reshaping financial security for India’s Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) and payments ecosystems.
4) The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is located in?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
Explanation
Option a is correct – The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is located in Uttar Pradesh.
It is situated on the India-Nepal border in the Lakhimpur Kheri and Pilibhit districts and is a crucial protected area for the conservation of the Bengal tiger and the swamp deer (barasingha).
5) The “Vepdegestrant” recently seen in news is related to?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
Explanation
Option a is correct – Vepdegestrant is a first-in-class oral cancer therapy utilizing PROTAC (Proteolysis-Targeting Chimera) technology.
It is jointly developed by Arvinas and Pfizer.
It received U.S. FDA approval for treating adults with advanced or metastatic breast cancer (ER-positive, HER2-negative, and ESR1-mutated).
