12th March 2026

Explanation - Article 280 of the Constitution of India provides for a quasi-judicial body, the Finance Commission. It is constituted by the President of India every fifth year or at such earlier time as he considers necessary. The recommendations made by the Finance Commission are only advisory in nature and hence, not binding on the government.

Explanation - Article 324 of the Indian Constitution: This article empowers the President to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, thus establishing the constitutional basis for the formation of the Election Commission of India. This provision grants autonomy and authority to the Election Commission to conduct free and fair elections. Representation of the People Act, 1950: This Act provides the legal framework for the conduct of elections and the preparation and revision of electoral rolls. It outlines the procedures and regulations that the Election Commission follows while carrying out its responsibilities, making it a key legal provision related to the Commission's functions.

Explanation - Leprosy is a disease that causes severe, scarring skin sores and nerve damage in the limbs. Leprosy disease has affected people on every continent. Leprosy is actually not that infectious but it spreads when a healthy person comes in regular and close contact with mouth droplets of leprosy patient. Children get more affected by this disease than adults. Almost, 180000 people all over the world get infected with leprosy. The Leprosy disease mainly affects the peripheral nerves, skin, upper respiratory tract and the eyes. The most prevalent possibility of transmission is through the respiratory route. Leprosy is also transmitted through insects.

Explanation - It is located in the Canadian arctic archipelago, within the zone classified as the High Arctic. It is the world's largest uninhabited island. Ellesmere Island lies to the north of Devon Island and Baffin Bay lies to its east. Although completely devoid of human settlements, a few species reside on the island. Winters are extremely harsh with temperatures being as low as −50 °C. The "out-of-the-world-like" landscape here is cold, dry, and rocky. Snow and ice blanket the island's ice cap for the entire year. NASA uses Devon Island to study Mars, primarily because it is barren, and its freezing, polar desert conditions allow researchers to test next-generation rovers. It is home to a 14-mile-wide Haughton Crater. It was formed when a meteorite struck millions of years ago, leaving behind terrain that resembles the surface of Mars.

Explanation - Statements 1 and 3 are correct. It is a type of bridge that can be raised to provide clearance for waterway traffic and is also referred to as a lifting bridge or a drawbridge. It makes use of a counterweight to balance a span or leaf through its upward trajectory. The balance of the weight is sometimes adjusted according to the frequency of waterway traffic. The counterweight is usually heavier than the leaf itself, which makes lifting easier and reduces the energy needed to operate the bridge. The span can be single or double, and in rare cases it may even be triple or quadruple. A pulley system helps raise and lower the bridge. Cables or chains connected to the counterweight run through pulleys and are attached to the leaf. This mechanical system helps reduce the force needed to lift the leaf, using something called "mechanical advantage." The word 'bascule' is French in origin and translates loosely as a seesaw or a balancing mechanical device. It is thought that bascule bridges were first designed during the mediaeval era in Europe, when they served defensive purposes. The longest double-leaf bascule bridge in the world is the Broadway Bridge in Portland, Oregon, USA.