3rd May 2025

Explanation - Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to others. When an organism is resistant to more than one drug, it is said to be multidrug-resistant.

Explanation - All statements are correct. With FDI, investors are able to exert control over their investments and are typically actively involved in the management of the companies they invest in. Conversely, in FPI the degree of control is less as the investors obtain only ownership right. Therefore, they do not get a say in how their investments pan out because they're not actively involved in the management or operations of the companies that they're invested in. One of the most important distinctions between portfolio and direct investment to have emerged in the era of globalisation is that portfolio investment can be much more volatile. Changes in the investment environment in a country can lead to swift changes in portfolio investment. In contrast, FDI is more difficult to pull out or sell off as it implies a controlling stake in a business, and often connotes ownership of physical assets such as equipment, buildings and real estate. FDI investors invest in financial and non-financial assets like resources, technical know-how along with securities. This is contrary to FPI, where investors invest only in financial assets. For an economy as a whole, FDI creates productive assets by investing in factories, machinery & skill and superior technology. In that sense, FDI brings in long-term capital for an economy. FPI doesn't aid productive asset creation directly. It is just a financial investment. The FPI investment pours funds generally into capital or bond markets for a short period of time, usually enough to make profits. Its destination period is small and its funds are generally considered short term capital.

Explanation - The earliest literature 'Rig-Veda' reveals that some kind of population count was maintained in during 800-600 BC in India. The celebrated 'Arthashastra' by 'Kautilya' written in the 3rd Century BC prescribed the collection of population statistics as a measure of state policy for taxation. It contained a detailed description of methods of conducting population, economic and agricultural censuses. During the regime of the Mughal king Akbar, the administrative report 'Ain-e-Akbari' included comprehensive data pertaining to population, industry, wealth and many other characteristics.

Explanation - A systematic and modern population census, in its present form was conducted non synchronously between 1865 and 1872 (during Lord Mayo's time) in different parts of the country. This effort culminating in 1872 has been popularly labeled as the first population census of India However, the first synchronous census in India was held in 1881 (during Lord Mayo's time). Since then, censuses have been undertaken uninterruptedly once every ten year. The last caste-based census was conducted by the British in 1931.

Explanation - NSC of India is a three-tiered organisation that oversees political, economic, energy and security issues of strategic concern. The National Security Advisor (NSA) presides over the NSC, and is also the primary advisor to the Prime Minister. It was formed in 1998, where all aspects of national security are deliberated upon. NSC comprises the three tier structure - Strategic Policy Group (SPG), the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) and the National Security Council Secretariat. The SPG chaired by the Cabinet Secretary is the principal forum for inter-ministerial coordination and integration of the relevant inputs. The NSAB undertakes long term analysis and provides perspectives on issues of national security. It operates within the executive office of the Prime Minister of India, liaising between the government's executive branch and the intelligence services, advising leadership on intelligence and security issues. The Ministers of Home Affairs, Defence, External Affairs and Finance are its members.