5th December 2025

Explanation - Acid attacks in India have long prompted judicial attention due to their devastating physical, psychological, and economic impact on survivors, many of whom are young women. The Supreme Court initiated sustained oversight beginning in 2006, following the horrific case of Laxmi, who was attacked at the age of 15. In subsequent years, the Court issued landmark directives — Minimum Rs. 3 lakh compensation for survivors (not Rs. 5 lakh), with Rs. 1 lakh to be paid within 15 days of the incident (not one month). Free and immediate medical treatment in private hospitals, including medicines, food, and specialised care. Ban on the over-the-counter sale of acid to curb misuse. Designation of District Legal Services Authorities (DLSA) (not NALSA) as criminal injuries compensation boards to streamline claims. Despite these orders, survivors continue to face procedural delays and denial of essential services. 

Explanation - It is India's third indigenously built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (not second). It is the second submarine in the Arihant class. It is being built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project to build nuclear submarines at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam. Features of INS Aridhaman — Armaments: It has launch tubes capable of deploying K-15 Sagarika submarine-launched ballistic missiles, each with a 750 km range (not 3,500 km); Longer-range K-4 missiles extending to 3,500 km for intercontinental strikes. It also has anechoic tiles for acoustic damping and advanced sonar suites enhancing its survivability against detection. 

Explanation - The Indian Statistical Institute was founded by Professor P.C. Mahalanobis in Calcutta in 1931. The ISI, established earlier as a society, plays a crucial role in statistical research, education, and training in India. The ISI Act, 1959 primarily applies to the ISI, its governing body, employees, and students. The Act aimed to recognise the ISI's contributions to national development and provide it with the necessary autonomy and support to carry out its functions effectively. The ISA Act 1959 declared the ISI an institution of national importance. This Act falls under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (not Ministry of Education). Salient Features of ISI Act, 1959 — Empowers the ISI to grant degrees and diplomas in statistics, mathematics, quantitative economics, computer science, and related subjects. Provides for grants, loans, and other financial assistance from the Central Government. Mandates the audit of the Institute's accounts by qualified auditors (not specifically CAG). Requires prior approval from the Central Government for certain actions by the Institute, such as altering its objectives, amending its memorandum, or disposing of certain properties. Provides for the constitution of committees by the Central Government to prepare the Institute's program of work and review its activities. Empowers the Central Government to issue directions to the Institute. Allows the Central Government to assume control of the Institute under certain circumstances. 

Explanation - All statements are incorrect. The Democratic Republic of Congo declared the end of an Ebola outbreak that infected 12 people in the eastern province of North Kivu and killed six of them. The outbreak was contained using Merck's Ebola vaccine, which was given to more than 1,600 of the patients' contacts and contacts of contacts. Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. The 2014–2016 outbreak in West Africa was the largest Ebola outbreak since the virus was first discovered in 1976. Virus species - The virus family Filoviridae (not coronavirus family) includes three genera: Cuevavirus, Marburgvirus, and Ebolavirus. Within the genus Ebolavirus, five species have been identified: Zaire, Bundibugyo, Sudan, Reston and Tai Forest. Health impact: The average EVD case fatality rate is around 50% (not less than ten percent). Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks. Treatment: Early supportive care with rehydration, symptomatic treatment improves survival. There is a licensed Ebola vaccine (Merck's vaccine), proving statement 3 incorrect. 

Explanation - It is an intense burst of radiation coming from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots. A flare appears as a sudden, intense brightening of a region on the Sun, lasting several minutes to hours. Flares occur when intense magnetic fields on the Sun become too tangled. Like a rubber band that snaps when it is twisted too far, the tangled magnetic fields release energy when they snap. The energy emitted by a solar flare is more than a million times greater than the energy from a volcanic eruption on Earth (not comparable). Although solar flares can be visible in white light, they are often more readily noticed via their bright X-ray and ultraviolet emissions. Coronal mass ejections often accompany solar flares, though scientists are still trying to determine exactly how the two phenomena are related (they are not always accompanied, and the relationship is not fully understood). Effect of Solar Flare on Earth — The intense radiation emitted during a solar flare can affect satellite communications, disrupt radio signals, and even pose a risk to astronauts in space. Additionally, the increased solar radiation can lead to geomagnetic storms, which may impact power grids and cause auroras (northern and southern lights) at lower latitudes.