12th January 2026

Explanation - Samagra Shiksha is an integrated, centrally sponsored scheme for school education covering the entire continuum from pre-primary to senior secondary level. Launched in 2018 by subsuming Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, and Teacher Education schemes (Not Mid-Day Meal scheme, making Statement 1 incorrect). Samagra Shiksha 3.0 represents the next phase of this reform journey, aligned with five years of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 implementation and India’s long-term vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 (Statement 4 is correct). Core Objectives — Universal enrolment up to Class XII (not just up to Class VIII, making Statement 3 incorrect). Governance and Planning Approach — A major shift under Samagra Shiksha 3.0 is the emphasis on consultative, bottom-up planning. States and Union Territories are encouraged to prepare robust annual plans grounded in local school realities while aligning with national priorities (Statement 2 is correct).

Explanation - Establishment: MERCOSUR was indeed established by the Treaty of Asunción in 1991 (Statement 1 is correct). This treaty marked the formal creation of the trade bloc. Founding Members: Venezuela is not a founding member of MERCOSUR. The original founding members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Venezuela joined MERCOSUR later, in 2012 (Statement 2 is incorrect). Objectives: MERCOSUR aims to promote economic integration and reduce trade barriers among its member countries, which aligns with the bloc's core objectives (Statement 3 is correct).

Explanation - It is a national-level digital platform developed by the National Security Guard’s (NSG) National Bomb Data Centre (Not NIA, making Statement 1 incorrect). It will enable systematic data collection and analysis related to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), enhancing the investigation process of terrorist incidents in the country. It will function as a two-way (Not one-way, making Statement 3 incorrect), integrated online platform accessible to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Anti-Terrorism Squads, state police forces and all Central Armed Police Forces (Not exclusively for central agencies). Data related to any explosion or IED incident across the country can be uploaded and analysed to support investigations (Statement 2 is correct). The platform will play a crucial role in "supporting post blast investigations and enhancing coordination among various security and law enforcement agencies across the country. NSG has maintained a comprehensive database of bomb explosions since 1999, which will now be made available to law enforcement agencies nationwide through NIDMS (Statement 4 is correct).

Explanation - Rooted in the United Nations Charter and guided by the transformative 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN DESA upholds the development pillar of the United Nations (Statement 1 is correct). UN DESA’s work programme can be categorised into three areas: norm-setting, analysis, and capacity-building (not operational field implementation, making Statement 2 incorrect). What is UN DESA doing? Facilitates the negotiations of Members States in many intergovernmental bodies to address ongoing or emerging global challenges; Provides substantive support to intergovernmental processes on development issues in the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (Statement 3 is correct); Advises interested Governments on the ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in the UN conferences and summits into programmes at the country level; Collaborate closely with its partners at regional and country levels in helping countries to formulate and implement development strategies; Compiles, generates, and analyses a wide range of economic, social, and environmental data and information on which member states of the United Nations draw. Reports Published by UN DESA — World Economic Situation and Prospects Report, World Social Report, Sustainable Development Goals Report (Statement 4 is correct).

Explanation - Ethylene glycol is an industrial compound found in consumer products including automotive antifreeze, hydraulic brake fluids, some stamp pad inks, ballpoint pens, solvents, paints, plastics, films, and cosmetics and is also used as a pharmaceutical vehicle (Statement 1 is correct). It is a synthetic liquid, which is odourless and is used to make antifreeze and de icing solutions for cars, airplanes and boats (Statement 2 is correct). The Alexi Navalny poisoning involved a Novichok nerve agent, not Ethylene Glycol (Statement 3 is incorrect).