Explanation:

Areas (approx.):
– Haryana: ~44,212 sq km
– Punjab: ~50,362 sq km
– Uttarakhand: ~53,483 sq km
– Himachal Pradesh: ~55,673 sq km

Ascending order (smallest to largest): Haryana (1) < Punjab (3) < Uttarakhand (4) < Himachal Pradesh (2) → 1, 3, 4, 2.

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Uttar Pradesh is the largest potato-producing state in India, consistently contributing the highest share to national potato output.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Union Government approved the South Asia Regional Centre (SARC) of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh—not an International Potato Center (CIP) SARC at Aligarh. CIP’s India/South Asia presence is through its office in New Delhi and collaborations with ICAR-CPRI (e.g., Modipuram/Meerut), but there is no Government-approved CIP SARC at Aligarh.

Explanation:

Chronology of statehood (earliest to latest):
– Nagaland (3): 1 December 1963 (State of Nagaland Act, 1962)
– Punjab (1): 1 November 1966 (present Punjab formed after Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966)
– Sikkim (4): 16 May 1975 (36th Constitutional Amendment; became the 22nd state)
– Arunachal Pradesh (2): 20 February 1987 (State of Arunachal Pradesh Act, 1986)

Thus the correct order is 3-1-4-2.

Explanation:

Devipatan Division (Mandal) in Uttar Pradesh comprises four districts: Bahraich, Balrampur, Gonda, and Shravasti. Therefore:
– Basti (1) is NOT in Devipatan; it belongs to Basti Division.
– Bahraich (2) is in Devipatan.
– Balrampur (3) is in Devipatan.
Hence, only 2 and 3 are correct.

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Himalayan region offers very large hydroelectric potential due to steep gradients, deep gorges, and perennial snow- and glacier-fed rivers (Indus–Ganga–Brahmaputra system). Most of India’s identified hydropower potential lies in the Himalayan states.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are part of the flat Ganga plain with very low river gradients; that physiography—not the fact that the Himalayas to their north lie in Nepal—is the primary reason they cannot develop large hydel projects within their territory. Moreover, hydropower in Nepal can, in principle, be harnessed through bilateral projects and power trade; some Indo–Nepal river agreements (e.g., Kosi, Gandak) already exist for water management, showing it is not an absolute “cannot.”

Therefore, only Statement 1 is correct.

Explanation:

Chronological order of Alauddin Khalji’s conquests among the given options:
– Jaisalmer (1299–1300): Subjugation of the Bhati Rajputs came early in his Rajputana campaigns.
– Ranthambore (1301): Hammiradeva was defeated after a prolonged siege.
– Chittor (1303): Captured from Rawal Ratan Singh; the fort was renamed Khizrabad temporarily.
– Warangal (1309–10/1310): Conquered during Malik Kafur’s Deccan expedition; Kakatiya Prataparudra submitted.

Thus, the correct sequence is 2 → 1 → 4 → 3.

Explanation:

Adi Karmyogi (Beta) — A Responsive Governance Initiative — was launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in June 2025. The ‘Adi’ prefix is commonly used by this ministry for its tribal-centric programmes (e.g., PM Aadi Adarsh Gram Yojana, Adi Mahotsav), and the initiative aligns with MoTA’s mandate to improve governance and service delivery in tribal areas.

Hence, the correct code is ‘Only 4’.

Explanation:

Biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion of organic matter. Its major constituents are methane (about 50–70%) and carbon dioxide (about 30–45%), with traces of H2S, H2, N2, and water vapor.

– Option 1 (1 and 3): Correct — Methane and carbon dioxide are the two major components of biogas.
– Option 2 (3 and 4): Incorrect — Carbon monoxide is not a major component of biogas; CO is typical of producer gas/syngas from gasification, not anaerobic digestion.
– Option 3 (2 and 3): Incorrect — Butane is not produced in biogas; it is a component of LPG.
– Option 4 (1 and 2): Incorrect — Includes butane, which is not a constituent of biogas.

Explanation:

The Gobi Desert spans southern Mongolia and northern China, chiefly across the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and parts of Gansu. It does not extend into Russia or Kazakhstan—mountain ranges and intervening basins (Altai, Sayan, Tian Shan) lie between the Gobi and those countries.
– Statements 1 and 2 are correct (Mongolia and China).
– Statement 3 (Russia) is incorrect: the Gobi does not reach Russian territory.
– Statement 4 (Kazakhstan) is incorrect: Kazakhstan’s deserts (e.g., Kyzylkum, Betpak-Dala) are distinct and west of the Gobi.
Therefore, only 1 and 2 are correct.

Explanation:

Chronology with key dates:
– Second Anglo-French War (Second Carnatic War): 1749–1754
– First Anglo-Mysore War: 1767–1769
– First Anglo-Afghan War: 1839–1842
– First Anglo-Sikh War: 1845–1846
Thus, the correct order is 2, 1, 4, 3.