9th September 2025

Explanation – It is a Hindu temple complex and pilgrim centre at the summit of Pavagadh Hill in Panchmahal District, Gujarat. The presiding deity is Maa Kali (Kalika Mata), a form of Goddess Durga/Shakti. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India. The temple is believed to be over 1,000 years old, with its origins tracing back to the 10th–11th centuries. It saw patronage and renovations under the Solanki Rajput dynasty, who ruled large parts of Gujarat. Today, the temple is a part of the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. The sanctum houses the black stone idol of Mahakali—the upper part visible to devotees, while the lower part remains underground, symbolising mystery and divine grounding. 

Explanation – Gulf of Aden is an extension of the Indian Ocean, tucked between the Arabian Peninsula and the African continent. The gulf is named after "Aden," a port city on Yemen's coast. It is bounded to the south by Somalia and the Socotra Islands (part of Yemen), to the north by Yemen, to the east by the Arabian Sea, and to the west by Djibouti. The gulf is connected to the Somali Sea to the south by the Guardafui Channel and to the Red Sea on the west by the Strait of Bab el Mandeb. 

Explanation – It is an intergovernmental organisation whose members implement voluntary export controls on missiles capable of delivering nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons, as well as related technology. Member states of the regime agree to impose export controls on missiles, defined as rocket systems and unmanned aerial vehicle systems (UAVs), as well as a wide variety of technical components and software related to missile production. The equipment, software and technology covered by the agreement are broken down into Category I and Category II items. Category I items are strictly controlled under the organisation's guidelines; these items are missiles capable of delivering a warhead weighing 500 kilograms or more to ranges exceeding 300 kilometres. MTCR guidelines are an informal standard set by a selected group of countries rather than an international treaty adopted by its members. The agreement has no legally binding provisions or regime-wide compliance procedures. 

Explanation – It acts like a register of minimum medicine needs for every health-care system. It is updated every two years by the Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines. The first WHO model list of essential medicines was published in the year 1977 which contained 186 medicines. WHO selects essential medicines based on public health relevance, evidence of benefits and harms, and with consideration of costs, affordability and other relevant factors. Globally, over 150 countries have national essential medicines lists based on the WHO Model List. As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), Essential Medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population. The list is made with consideration to disease prevalence, efficacy, safety and comparative cost-effectiveness of the medicines. 

Explanation – From 1912 until the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Tibet was independent. Therefore, they have protested against what they regard as China's rule imposed after the People's Liberation Army occupation of Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) in 1950. Tibet is a region on the Tibetan Plateau in Asia, spanning about 2.4 million km² – nearly a quarter of China's territory (locally known as Xizang). It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups. Tibet is the highest region on Earth, with an average elevation of 4,900 metres. The highest elevation in Tibet is Mount Everest, Earth's highest mountain, rising 8,848 m above sea level.