With reference to Changthang (High Altitude Cold Desert) Wildlife Sanctuary, consider the following statements:
It is located in the Union Territory of Ladakh and was notified as a protected area in 1987.
The sanctuary forms part of the Trans-Himalayan cold desert ecosystem.
Pangong Tso is located within the sanctuary.
The sanctuary provides habitat to species such as the Tibetan wild ass (kiang), Tibetan antelope and black-necked crane.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 — Correct: Changthang (High Altitude Cold Desert) Wildlife Sanctuary was notified in 1987 by the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir Government.L
Statement 2 — Correct: It lies in the high-altitude Trans-Himalayan cold desert of Ladakh, with elevations roughly ranging from 3,905 to 5,100 m in the Management Effectiveness Evaluation assessment.
Statement 3 — Correct: Pangong Lake (Pangong Tso) is located within the sanctuary. The lake extends into China.
Statement 4 — Correct: The sanctuary supports characteristic Trans-Himalayan fauna, including kiang (Tibetan wild ass), Tibetan antelope, snow leopard and black-necked crane, among others.
With reference to the World Food Programme (WFP), consider the following statements:
WFP was established in 1961 as a joint initiative of the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Its funding is derived entirely from voluntary contributions.
WFP primarily provides food assistance during humanitarian emergencies and does not undertake programmes related to nutrition, school meals or resilience-building.
WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its efforts to combat hunger and contribute to conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 — Correct: WFP was established in 1961 through a UN General Assembly resolution as a joint UN–FAO effort.
Statement 2 — Correct: WFP is funded entirely through voluntary contributions, including contributions from governments and other donors.
Statement 3 — Incorrect: This is the trap statement. WFP's mandate extends beyond emergency food assistance. It works on nutrition, school meals, cash assistance, resilience-building, food systems and support to governments.
Statement 4 — Correct: WFP received the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger, improve conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and help prevent hunger from being used as a weapon of war and conflict.
With reference to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), consider the following statements:
The IAEA was established in 1957 and operates as an autonomous international organisation within the UN system.
The IAEA promotes the peaceful uses of nuclear energy while also implementing nuclear safeguards to verify that nuclear material is not diverted to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
India has been a member of the IAEA since its establishment.
The IAEA safeguards all nuclear facilities and nuclear material of every member state, irrespective of whether the state has concluded a safeguards agreement with the Agency.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 — Correct: The IAEA came into existence in 1957. It is an autonomous organisation in the UN family, with its relationship with the UN governed by an agreement. Its headquarters is in Vienna, Austria.
Statement 2 — Correct: The IAEA has a dual role: it promotes the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technology and operates safeguards to verify that nuclear material is not diverted from peaceful purposes to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
Statement 3 — Correct: India became an IAEA member on 16 July 1957, making it one of the Agency's original members.
Statement 4 — Incorrect: This is the trap. IAEA safeguards are applied pursuant to specific safeguards agreements. India, for example, has an India-specific safeguards agreement covering designated civilian nuclear facilities rather than all of India's nuclear facilities.
With reference to Exercise ‘Veer Guardian 2026’, consider the following statements:
It is a bilateral air exercise between India and Japan.
The 2026 edition is being conducted at Air Force Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
The Japanese contingent is participating with F-2A fighter aircraft, while India is participating with LCA Tejas, Su-30MKI and Rafale.
The exercise is conducted between the Indian Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 — Correct: Veer Guardian is a bilateral air exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).
Statement 2 — Correct: The 2026 edition is being conducted at Air Force Station Jodhpur from 9 to 22 September 2026.
Statement 3 — Correct: The IAF is participating with LCA Tejas, Su-30MKI and Rafale, while JASDF is participating with F-2A fighter aircraft.
Statement 4 — Incorrect: This mixes up Veer Guardian with Dharma Guardian. Dharma Guardian is the India–Japan Army exercise involving the Indian Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
With reference to QDENGA, recently approved as India’s first dengue vaccine, consider the following statements:
QDENGA is a live-attenuated tetravalent vaccine designed to protect against all four dengue virus serotypes.
It has been approved in India for individuals aged 4 to 60 years.
Prior dengue infection must be established through pre-vaccination testing before QDENGA can be administered.
The vaccine was developed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 — Correct: QDENGA (TAK-003) is a live-attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine designed to provide protection against DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4.
Statement 2 — Correct: India's drug regulator, CDSCO, granted marketing authorisation in July 2026 for prevention of dengue disease in people aged 4–60 years.
Statement 3 — Incorrect: Unlike some dengue vaccines, QDENGA does not require pre-vaccination testing or proof of previous dengue infection. It can be administered irrespective of previous dengue exposure, subject to the approved indication.
Statement 4 — Correct: QDENGA was developed by Takeda, the Japanese pharmaceutical company.
