Statement I: The power of Lokpal applies to public servants of India, but not to the Indian public servants posted outside India.

This statement is incorrect. The Lokpal’s jurisdiction extends to Indian public servants both within and outside India.

Statement II: The Chairperson or a Member shall not be a Member of the Parliament or a Member of the Legislature of any State or Union Territory, and only the Chief Justice of India, whether incumbent or retired, has to be its Chairperson.

This statement is incorrect. While it is true that the Chairperson or a Member shall not be a Member of Parliament or a Member of the Legislature of any State or Union Territory, the Chairperson of the Lokpal can be a former Chief Justice of India, a former Judge of the Supreme Court, or an eminent person with impeccable integrity and outstanding ability, having special knowledge and expertise of minimum 25 years in matters relating to anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance, law, and management. It is not exclusively limited to the Chief Justice of India.

Statement III: The Chairperson or a Member shall not be a person of less than forty-five years of age on the date of assuming office as the Chairperson or Member, as the case may be.

This statement is correct. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, specifies that the Chairperson or a Member shall not be a person of less than forty-five years of age on the date of assuming office.

Statement IV: Lokpal cannot inquire into the allegations of corruption against a sitting Prime Minister of India.

This statement is incorrect. The Lokpal has jurisdiction over the Prime Minister. However, there are safeguards and exceptions. The Lokpal cannot inquire into allegations of corruption against the Prime Minister relating to international relations, security, public order, atomic energy, and space. Any inquiry against the Prime Minister requires a full bench of the Lokpal and the approval of at least two-thirds of its members.

Based on the analysis, only Statement III is correct.

Explanation : 

Statement I: 16th BRICS Summit was held under the Chairship of Russia in Kazan.

The 16th BRICS Summit was indeed held in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24, 2024, under Russia’s chairship. This statement is correct.

Statement II: Indonesia has become a full member of BRICS.

Indonesia officially joined BRICS as a full member on January 6, 2025, becoming the 10th member of the bloc. This statement is correct.

Statement III: The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit was Strengthening Multiculturalism for Just Global Development and Security.

The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit was “Strengthening Multilateralism for Fair Global Development and Security.” The statement says “Strengthening Multiculturalism,” which is incorrect.

Based on the analysis, statements I and II are correct.

Explanation : 

I. International Year of the Woman Farmer: 2026

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. This initiative aims to highlight the crucial role of women farmers in food security, nutrition, and poverty eradication, and to address the challenges they face.

II. International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism: 2027

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on February 26, 2024, to declare 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism. This year aims to promote sustainable and resilient tourism as a means of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

III. International Year of Peace and Trust: 2025

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on March 21, 2024, to declare 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust. This year calls on the international community to strengthen peace and trust in relations between UN member states through dialogue and negotiation.

IV. International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence: 2029

In December 2024, the United Nations proclaimed 2029 as the International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence. This year was chosen to coincide with the close passage of asteroid 99942 Apophis in April 2029, and it aims to raise global awareness about asteroids and planetary defense.

All four statements are correctly matched.

Explanation : 

Statement I: Co-chaired with India, the event builds on the advances made at the Bletchley Park Summit held in 2023 and the Seoul Summit held in 2024.

The AI Action Summit was held at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, from February 10 to 11, 2025.

It was co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The summit explicitly built on the momentum generated by the previous AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in the UK (November 2023) and the AI Seoul Summit in South Korea (May 2024). Therefore, Statement I is correct.

Statement II: Along with other countries US and UK also signed the declaration on inclusive and sustainable AI.

At the summit, 58 countries, including France, China, and India, signed a joint declaration titled “Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet.” However, the United States and the United Kingdom notably refused to sign this declaration. Their reasons included concerns about excessive regulation stifling innovation and a lack of practical clarity on global AI governance. Therefore, Statement II is incorrect.

Explanation : 

Statement I: It is designed to provide additional accuracy and integrity.

This statement is correct. GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation) is a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) whose primary objective is to enhance the accuracy, availability, and integrity of GPS signals for civil aviation applications. It provides corrections to GPS signals, leading to improved positional accuracy and ensuring the reliability and trustworthiness of the navigation information.

Statement II: It will allow more uniform and high quality air traffic management.

This statement is correct. GAGAN provides increased accuracy in position reporting, which in turn leads to more uniform and high-quality Air Traffic Management (ATM). This modernization of airspace can result in reduced flight delays, fuel savings, and improved flight safety.

Statement III: It will provide benefits only in aviation but not in other modes of transportation.

This statement is incorrect. While GAGAN was primarily developed for civil aviation, it provides benefits beyond aviation to various other modes of transportation and services. These include maritime, highways, railways, defense services, security agencies, telecom industry, and personal users of position location applications, including precision farming. For example, it can be used for railway signaling, anti-collision devices in railways, road asset management, and even for identifying wildfires.

Therefore, statements I and II are correct.

Explanation : 

The jury for the Gandhi Peace Prize consists of the following members:

– The Prime Minister of India (Chairperson)

– The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha

– The Chief Justice of India

– The Speaker of the Lok Sabha

– Two other eminent persons appointed every three years

Explanation : 

Statement I: It is a regional organization consisting of seven member States till January 2025.

This statement is correct. BIMSTEC comprises seven member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. This number has remained consistent through January 2025 and beyond.

Statement II: It came into existence with the signing of the Dhaka Declaration, 1999.

This statement is incorrect. BIMSTEC, initially known as BIST-EC, was established on June 6, 1997, with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration. The Dhaka Declaration was adopted later, in 1998, during the first ministerial meeting, but it was not the foundational document.

Statement III: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal are founding member States of BIMSTEC.

This statement is incorrect. The founding members of BIMSTEC (originally BIST-EC) were Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Myanmar joined in December 1997, and Nepal and Bhutan became full members in 2004. Therefore, Nepal was not a founding member.

Statement IV: In BIMSTEC, the subsector of ‘tourism’ is being led by India.

This statement is incorrect. While India previously led the tourism sector, recent reorganizations of BIMSTEC’s priority sectors have assigned the lead role for ‘People-to-People Contact’, which includes ‘Tourism’ as a sub-sector, to Nepal. India is currently the lead country for the ‘Security’ sector, which encompasses Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime, Disaster Management, and Energy.

Explanation : 

The incorrect statements are I, II, and III.

Statement I: Panchayats at the intermediate level do not exist in all States. Article 243B of the Indian Constitution states that Panchayats at the intermediate level may not be constituted in a State with a population not exceeding twenty lakhs (2 million). Additionally, the 73rd Amendment Act, which established the Panchayati Raj system, does not apply to certain states like Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram, and other specific areas.

Statement II: To be eligible to be a Member of a Panchayat at the intermediate level, a person should attain the age of twenty-one years, not thirty years. Article 243F of the Constitution specifies 21 years as the minimum age for contesting elections to Panchayats.

Statement III: The Chief Minister of a State does not constitute a commission to review the financial position of Panchayats. Instead, the Governor of a State constitutes a Finance Commission, as per Article 243I of the Indian Constitution, to review the financial position of Panchayats and make recommendations regarding the distribution of taxes and duties between the State and Panchayats.

Explanation : 

Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM)

Statement I is correct because the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) aims to benefit all Indian cattle and buffalo owners, with a particular focus on small and marginal farmers and women, who perform a significant portion of livestock farming tasks. This indicates its importance for the upliftment of the rural poor, as these groups often possess low-producing indigenous animals.

Statement II is correct because a key objective of the Rashtriya Gokul Mission is to promote the rearing and conservation of indigenous cattle and buffaloes in a scientific and holistic manner.

Explanation : 

The Earth’s atmosphere plays a crucial role in regulating the planet’s temperature, making it hospitable for life. This regulation is primarily achieved through the natural greenhouse effect.

I. Without the atmosphere, temperature would be well below freezing point everywhere on the Earth’s surface.

This statement is true. Scientific calculations indicate that without the Earth’s atmosphere and the natural greenhouse effect, the planet’s average surface temperature would be significantly colder, approximately -18°C to -20°C. This temperature is well below the freezing point of water (0°C), implying that water on Earth would largely exist in a frozen state.

II. Heat absorbed and trapped by the atmosphere maintains our planet’s average temperature.

This statement is also correct. The atmosphere, through the greenhouse effect, absorbs and traps heat, preventing it from escaping directly into space. This process maintains Earth’s average surface temperature at approximately 15°C, which is conducive to life. The atmosphere acts as an insulating layer, akin to a “cozy blanket,” regulating the planet’s thermal balance.

III. Atmosphere’s gases, like carbon dioxide, are particularly good at absorbing and trapping radiation.

This statement is correct. Certain gases in the atmosphere, known as greenhouse gases, are highly effective at absorbing and re-emitting longwave (infrared) radiation that is radiated from the Earth’s surface. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a prominent example of such a gas, known for its ability to absorb infrared energy at specific wavelengths, thereby contributing significantly to the trapping of heat within the atmosphere. Other greenhouse gases include water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide.

All three statements are correct. So, the final answer is I, II and III