Explanation : 

Statement I: Some rare earth elements are used in the manufacture of flat television screens and computer monitors.

• Correct. Rare earth elements like europium, yttrium, and terbium are used to create red, green, and blue phosphors for vibrant colors in these displays.

Statement II: Some rare earth elements have phosphorescent properties.

• Correct. Many rare earth elements exhibit phosphorescence and fluorescence. Europium and terbium are known for their phosphorescent properties.

Relationship:

• The phosphorescent properties of rare earth elements explain their use in flat-screen TVs and monitors, as they produce the luminescent phosphors essential for vibrant colors.

Conclusion:

• Both statements are correct, and Statement II explains Statement I.

Explanation : 

Statement I is incorrect.

• The 45th Chess Olympiad (September 10-23, 2024, Budapest) is a team event, not an individual championship.
• Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest undisputed World Chess Champion by defeating Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship 2024 (November 25 – December 12, Singapore) at age 18.
• Gukesh defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi in the Candidates Tournament 2024, which determines the challenger for the World Championship, not the Olympiad final.

Statement II is correct.

• Abhimanyu Mishra, an American from New Jersey, became the world’s youngest Grandmaster on June 30, 2021, at 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days, breaking Sergey Karjakin’s record.

Correct Answer : (b) II only

Explanation : 

The first Kho Kho World Cup was held in New Delhi, India, from January 13 to 19, 2025, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

Finals results:

• Indian men’s team defeated Nepal 54-36 to become World Champion.
• Indian women’s team defeated Nepal 78-40 to become World Champion.

Summary:

• Statement I is correct.
• Statement II is incorrect; the men’s score was 54-36, not 78-40.
• Statement III is incorrect; the women’s score was 78-40, not 54-36.

Therefore, only statement I is correct.

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.