25th December 2025

Explanation - Directed Energy Weapons System uses concentrated energy from electromagnetic or particle technology, rather than kinetic energy. It uses high-powered lasers to inflict damage on targets. It uses directed energy to heat up and destroy or damage the target. Capabilities of Directed Energy Weapons — Precision and Low Collateral Damage: It can target specific weak spots of enemy systems, motors, electronics, or wings, minimising collateral damage. Rapid Response: It engages with targets at the speed of light, eliminating fast-moving threats in real time. Cost and Logistics: It has a low operational cost, only requiring a continuous supply of electricity to work indefinitely. Counter-Drone and Stealth Technology: It is uniquely positioned to tackle swarm drones while ensuring there are no sounds or explosions, giving them stealth capabilities. Applications Directed Energy Weapons — It has diverse military applications, offering rapid and precision strikes against threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), missiles and small vehicles and can be used in all war fighting environments. Statement 4 is incorrect because it requires a continuous supply of electricity (an external power source) to work. 

Explanation - Akash Next Generation (Akash-NG) is a state-of-the-art Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) defence system. It was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). It is designed to protect vulnerable areas and points from air attacks. It succeeds the original Akash missile system, which has been operational with the Indian Air Force since 2014 and the Army since 2015. Features — The next-generation variant is lighter. It consists of several advanced features, including an indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker (not imported), dual-pulse solid rocket motor, and fully homegrown radars and Command, Control, and Communication (C2) systems. These features enable the system to detect and engage high-speed, low-altitude, and long-range high-altitude targets with high precision. It is designed to engage multiple targets simultaneously, with a range of up to 30 km and an altitude of 18 km. It has the ability to engage up to 10 targets simultaneously, with a firing rate of one missile every 10 seconds. The system can also be deployed in various configurations, including mobile and fixed installations. 

Explanation - Labyrinths and mazes are not the same; however both are patterns for a path from the entrance to the centre. Though the terms are often used interchangeably, they mean different things. Mazes are a kind of puzzle with multiple paths and decision points, and sometimes high walls. Labyrinths, by contrast, are unicursal: a single path twisting and turning through several concentric circles or circuits to arrive at a central goal, without walls or other obstructions to visibility. There are no "wrong turns" in a labyrinth. Labyrinths and/or labyrinth carvings in rock and stone date back more than 4,000 years. There are labyrinths etched in Roman mosaics, in caves, cliffs, and tombs, on stone floors of medieval churches, and cut into turf. 

Explanation - The Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LMV3) is a three-stage launch vehicle weighing about 640 tonnes and standing 43.5 metres tall. Developed over decades, it represents the peak of India’s launch vehicle engineering. S200 Solid Strap-On Boosters: Power at Lift-Off — The first stage comprises two S200 solid-propellant boosters, among the most powerful solid rockets in use worldwide. They provide the massive thrust needed at lift-off to overcome gravity and pass through Earth’s dense lower atmosphere. L110 Liquid Core Stage: Controlled Acceleration — After booster separation, the L110 liquid stage takes over, using hypergolic propellants for smooth, controllable thrust. This stage plays a crucial role in shaping the satellite’s trajectory and reflects India’s long-standing expertise in liquid propulsion. C25 Cryogenic Upper Stage: Precision and Efficiency — The C25 cryogenic stage burns supercooled liquid oxygen and hydrogen (not liquid nitrogen) stored below –180°C. It is India’s largest and most advanced cryogenic engine, offering high efficiency, longer burn duration, and precise orbit insertion—key to technological self-reliance achieved after decades of effort. 

Explanation - It is an AI agent which can independently run complex scientific experiments, analyse results, and make decisions in real time. It was developed by IIT Delhi researchers in collaboration with scientists from Denmark and Germany (not solely by IIT Delhi). Unlike earlier AI tools that mainly helped with writing or data analysis, AILA works directly with laboratory instruments. It can operate real scientific equipment, particularly the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), one of the most delicate and complex instruments used to study materials at the nano scale. When AILA is instructed to perform an experiment, it writes the necessary code, operates the scientific instrument, collects data, and analyses the results on its own. The entire scientific workflow, data generation, processing, and interpretation, is automated through AILA. It performs experiments much like a trained scientist.