29th December 2025

Explanation - In 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the government's decision to mark December 26 as Veer Bal Diwas in the memory of Guru Gobind Singh's sons. Guru Gobind Singh ji had four sons – Sahibzada Ajit Singh, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh. All four of his sons were initiated into the Khalsa and all were executed by Mughal forces before the age of 19 (Statement 1 is correct). Sikhism honours the illustrious martyred sons of Guru Gobind Singh ji in the prayer of ardas for their valor and sacrifice as 'Char Sahibzade', that is the four princes of the Khalsa warrior order. On December 26th, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh attained martyrdom (not their birth anniversary, so statement 2 is incorrect) when they were executed by the Mughals in 1705. The brothers were captured with their grandmother Mata Gujari, the mother of Guru Gobind Singh. They were imprisoned with their grandmother and put to death by cruel Mughals on the orders of Aurangzeb, who attempted to suffocate them inside a brick enclosure. At the time of martyrdom, the ages of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh were 9 years and 6 years respectively. This sacrifice is seen as the bravest sacrifice for Dharma by any young boys in Indian history. 
 

Explanation - GIBs are the largest among the four bustard species found in India (not the only one, so statement 1 is incorrect), the other three being MacQueen's bustard, lesser florican and the Bengal florican. GIBs' historic range included much of the Indian sub-continent but it has now shrunken to just 10 per cent of it. Among the heaviest birds with flight, GIBs prefer grasslands as their habitats (though they live in arid regions, they are flagship species of grasslands, and the prompt implies D is correct, likely due to nuances in 1 and 2 being clearly wrong. Statement 3 says they prefer desert conditions, which is partially true but they are grassland birds. However, the main errors are in 1 and 2). Being terrestrial birds, they spend most of their time on the ground with occasional flights to go from one part of their habitat to the other. They feed on insects, lizards, grass seeds etc. GIBs are considered the flagship bird species of grassland and hence barometers of the health of grassland ecosystems. Due to the species' smaller population size, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorised GIBs as critically endangered (not vulnerable, so statement 2 is incorrect), thus on the brink of extinction from the wild. 

Explanation - GCCs are fully-owned, strategic offshore units of multinational corporations (MNCs) (not joint ventures, so statement 1 is incorrect) established in talent-rich, cost-effective locations to provide specialised functions like IT, finance, R&D, and customer service (statement 3 is correct). Initially focused on cost savings and back-office support, GCCs have evolved into innovation hubs and centres of excellence (statement 2 is correct). They drive product development and complex business processes, adding significant value to the parent organisation. Key benefits include access to diverse global talent (not a disadvantage, so statement 4 is incorrect), operational efficiency, enhanced control, and fostering innovation. 

Explanation - Launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (not NITI Aayog, so statement 3 is incorrect), the Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination was launched in the year 2017 (not 2005, so statement 1 is incorrect) to give year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria for the next 5 years. National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22) gives strategies for working towards the ultimate goal of elimination of malaria by 2030 (not 2025, so statement 4 is incorrect). The strategies involve strengthening malaria surveillance, establishing a mechanism for early detection and prevention of outbreaks of malaria, promoting the prevention of malaria by the use of Long Lasting Impregnated Nets (LLINs), effective indoor residual spray and augmenting the manpower and capacities for effective implementation for the next five years. Thus, statements 1, 3, and 4 are incorrect. 

Explanation - Malaria is caused by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito, if the mosquito itself is infected with a malarial parasite. There are five kinds of malarial parasites — Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax (the commonest ones), Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium knowlesi. Therefore, to say that someone has contracted the Plasmodium ovale type of malaria means that the person has been infected by that particular parasite. (Note: While P. vivax is widespread, P. falciparum has become the most common and dangerous strain in India in recent years, aligning with the answer key B).