29th May 2026

Explanation - It is a traditional pair of woodwind instruments, widely associated with Rajasthan, Punjab, Sindh, and parts of western India and Pakistan. It is one of India’s oldest surviving folk wind instruments. How it is played? Its name comes from the idea of “two flutes" because it is played using two wooden pipes simultaneously. One flute plays the melody, the other provides a continuous drone or rhythmic base. Together, they create a hypnotic, layered sound unique to desert folk music. For playing the Algoza, musicians must master circular breathing (a demanding technique that allows them to blow continuously without stopping for breath). Sound is generated by breathing into it rapidly; the quick recapturing of breath on each beat creates a bouncing, swing rhythm. This creates the instrument’s signature uninterrupted flow, making performances sound seamless and meditative.

Explanation - Founded in 1876, by Mahendra Lal Sircar, IACS is the oldest institute in India devoted to the pursuit of fundamental research in the frontier areas of basic sciences. Location — Kolkata. It became the first research institution in Asia established by Indians for the cultivation of modern scientific research. Over the decades, it has served as the intellectual home for several legendary Indian scientists, including: Sir C.V. Raman Jagadish Chandra Bose Meghnad Saha N. Bose Professor C.V. Raman worked at IACS from 1907 to 1933, and it is here that he discovered the celebrated Raman Effect, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. It is funded by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, and the Government of West Bengal. Apart from fundamental research in the various frontier areas of physics and chemistry, IACS has ventured in a significant way, for the past few years, into the emerging multidisciplinary areas such as non-conventional energy sources, advanced and novel nanomaterials, chemical biology, and interdisciplinary sciences.

Explanation - SARTHAK PDS (Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling-Income with Automation in PDS) is conceived as an umbrella scheme that integrates two ongoing initiatives — Assistance to State Agencies for intra-State movement of foodgrains and FPS dealers’ margin under NFSA Scheme for Modernisation and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART PDS) Aim — The government aims to create a single administrative structure for improving foodgrain distribution and strengthening implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013. It will run until 2031. Components — Advanced Technology Use: It involves the use of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Blockchain to streamline operations in the public distribution system. Unified Data& Architecture: Under the approved plan, the government intends to create unified databases and standardised digital architecture for real-time monitoring of the PDS network. The scheme also proposes AI-enabled analytics and grievance redressal systems along with State Command Control Centres for monitoring operations through data based oversight. Certification: Government will introduce ISO-certified process frameworks will be introduced to strengthen transparency, security standards and operational sustainability within the system.

Explanation - How is Land Administered in Delhi? After 1947, the Union government administers land in Delhi through the Land and Development Office (L&DO) — under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. L&DO allots land for residential colonies, institutions, clubs, political parties, etc., and administers leases. Leases can be either — Fixed period leases — such as 99-year leases. Perpetual leases — with no fixed end date but subject to conditions. The lessee pays a fixed ground rent, which can be periodically revised as per lease conditions. Leasehold vs Freehold — Over the years, L&DO has converted many residential properties from leasehold to freehold — granting owners full property rights. As per a CAG report (2021), out of approximately 60,000 properties on L&DO land, around 35,000 had been converted from leasehold to freehold by 2021.

Explanation - The Delhi Gymkhana Club has a colonial legacy spanning over a century. It was founded in July 1913 — shortly after the British Indian government decided to shift the capital from Kolkata to Delhi in 1911. The land was leased by the government to the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club in February 1928 and the buildings were constructed in the 1930s. The club was designed by architect Robert T Russell — who also designed Connaught Place and the Commander-in-Chief's residence (later known as Teen Murti, the residence of PM Jawaharlal Nehru). Crucially, the lease was perpetual — meaning no fixed time frame was attached to it, though other conditions applied. Originally meant exclusively for British officials, the club was renamed Delhi Gymkhana Club after Independence and became a gathering space for members of the Indian bureaucracy, judiciary, and armed forces. It is located at 2, Safdarjung Road, New Delhi — immediately next to the Prime Minister's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg. Since 2022, the club has been run by a government-appointed general committee on the orders of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). This was after the Corporate Affairs Ministry approached the NCLT alleging the club was being run in violation of norms and mishandled. The club is a registered company under the Companies Act, 1956.