Daily Quiz 12 March 2025

Answer: C

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013, all pregnant women (except those already covered in the formal sector) are entitled to maternity benefits of ₹6,000 a child.
• Statement 2 is correct: The Government of India is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) with effect from 1st January 2017. The PMMVY Scheme is being implemented as per provisions under Section 4 of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 which provides for financial support for pregnant and lactating mothers is to improve the health and nutrition for mother and child as well as compensation for wage loss, if any.

Answer: A

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is not correct: Article 82 of the Constitution states that after every Census is completed, the allocation of Lok Sabha seats to each state must be adjusted based on population changes.
• Statement 2 is correct: Article 81 states there can be no more than 550 members in the Lok Sabha – 530 from states and 20 from Union Territories. It also says that “the ratio between (the number of seats) and the population of the state is, so far as practicable, the same for all states”. So, each constituency across the country should ideally have the same population.
• Statement 3 is not correct: Since 1951, the first Census after Independence, the decadal exercise has been carried out every year. However, in 2021, when the Census was scheduled, the government put it off as it was at the height of the Covid crisis. However, since then, in an unprecedented delay, the Census has been consistently put off, with none scheduled in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, a Delimitation Commission has been set up on four occasions so far since Independence – 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002.

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Option B is correct: The Simandou mine is located in the Simandou mountain range of southern Guinea’s Nzérékoré Region. Simandou represents one of the largest iron ore reserves in the world.
• Simandou is more than a technical marvel, as it will meet around 10% of the annual seaborne imports of China, the world’s biggest buyer of the key steel raw material, taking about 75% of global seaborne iron ore.

Simandou is largely a Chinese venture, with 75% of the production controlled by Chinese companies including Baosteel , and 25% held by Rio Tinto, the world’s largest iron ore miner.

Answer: C

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: SPHEREx is a NASA mission designed to scan over 450 million galaxies in search of the origins of life.
• Statement 2 is correct: It will conduct a survey of the entire sky in optical and near-infrared bands, creating a 3D map with 102 color bands.
  • During the two-year mission, SPHEREx will conduct a survey of the entire sky, both in the optical and near-infrared bands, once every six months covering hundreds and thousands of galaxies, both near and far off ones, and look for traces of life in peculiar areas where stellar activity is high — within the stellar nurseries, gas-abundant pockets where stars are born, discs around the stars, etc. All this data will be ultimately used to stitch together a colourful 3D map. This sky map will be made in 102 different color bands, making it the richest map ever generated of the entire sky.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: SPHEREx is not exclusively focused on black holes and dark matter; instead, it aims to study interstellar ices, the early universe, and cosmic history.
  • SPHEREx will, exclusively, look for water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other key elements frozen in regions where thick interstellar dust grains are present, known as molecular clouds, where the planets and stars eventually form.

Statement 4 is correct: The mission will use technologies adapted from Earth satellites and interplanetary spacecraft.

Answer: D

Explanation:

• Point 1 is correct: Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri)
  • Status: Critically Endangered
  • Population: Declining rapidly
  • Location: Democratic Republic of Congo
  • The largest subspecies of gorilla, the Eastern Lowland Gorilla, is losing its home to deforestation, mining, and human encroachment. Poaching has also decimated their numbers, as these gentle giants are often targeted for the bushmeat trade. With fewer than 7,000 individuals remaining, urgent action is needed to protect them.
• Point 2 is correct: Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
  • Status: Critically Endangered
  • Population: Rapid decline due to human activity
  • Location: Tropical oceans worldwide
  • Hawksbill Turtles are among the most beautiful sea turtles, but their striking shells make them a target for illegal trade. They are also highly vulnerable to climate change, which affects their nesting beaches. Rising ocean temperatures lead to fewer male hatchlings, further threatening the species.
• Point 3 is correct: Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus)
  • Status: Critically Endangered
  • Population: Less than 80 in the wild
  • Location: Ujung Kulon National Park, Indonesia
  • Once widespread across Southeast Asia, the Javan Rhino is now confined to a single location—Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia. Habitat loss and poaching for their horns have pushed them to the brink. Conservationists are working tirelessly to protect their habitat, but with such a small population, genetic diversity is a concern.
• Point 4 is correct: Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)
  • Status: Critically Endangered
  • Population: Around 100 in the wild
  • Location: Russia and China
• Often called the world’s rarest big cat, the Amur Leopard has been driven to near extinction by poaching and habitat loss. These magnificent animals are adapted to extreme cold, but their numbers have dwindled due to human expansion. Conservation efforts in Russia and China have helped stabilize their population, but they remain highly vulnerable.
• Point 5 is correct: Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
  • Status: Critically Endangered
  • Population: Less than 250 in the wild
  • Location: India, Nepal
  • The gharial is one of the most unusual crocodiles, with its long, narrow snout perfectly adapted for catching fish. However, dam construction, pollution, and loss of river habitats have caused severe population decline. Once widespread across South Asia, gharials are now found in just a few fragmented river systems.