11. Musa indandamanensis, a wild banana species, is endemic to which state/UT?
[A] Ladakh
[B] Kerala
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Andaman and Nicobar Islands]
Notes:
A wild banana species called Musa indandamanensis from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands recently set a world record with the longest banana infructescence measuring 4.2 metres. An infructescence is the full fruiting part of a plant. This wild species is endemic to the Nicobar group, especially found in Campbell Bay. The tree grows about 11 metres tall with a stem girth of around 110 centimetres. Earlier, the longest known banana infructescence was only 3 metres. The species is listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is preserved in the Indian Museum, Kolkata, and botanical centres like A.J.C. Bose Indian Botanic Garden. It holds potential for future disease-resistant and high-yield banana varieties.
12. With respect to mangroves, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Mangroves can filter salt from seawater, allowing them to thrive in saline environments.
- Mangroves provide critical habitats for a variety of wildlife, including fish, birds, and crustaceans.
- Andaman & Nicobar Island is home to approximately 40% of India’s mangrove forests.
Select the correct option from the codes given below:
[A] Only one
[B] Only two
[C] All three
[D] None
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only two]
Notes:
- Mangroves can filter salt from seawater, allowing them to thrive in saline environments. Correct: Mangroves possess specialized root systems that can filter out salt from seawater, enabling them to survive in highly saline coastal environments.
- Mangroves provide critical habitats for a variety of wildlife, including fish, birds, and crustaceans. Correct: Mangroves serve as essential habitats for numerous species, including fish, birds, and crustaceans, supporting rich biodiversity and offering nursery grounds for many marine organisms.
- Andaman & Nicobar Island is home to approximately 40% of India’s mangrove forests. Incorrect: West Bengal is home to approximately 40% of India’s mangrove forests.
13. Consider the following tribes:
- Onge
- Jarawa
- Korwa
- Shompen
- Irula
Which of the above is/are located in Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India?
[A] 1, 2 and 4
[B] 2, 3, 4 and 5
[C] 1, 2, 3 and 4
[D] 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [1, 2 and 4]
Notes:
- The main tribes in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa, Sentinelese, Shompen, and Nicobarese.
- Korwa is PVTG in Jharkhand and the Irula tribe is an indigenous community in India that is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Kerala.
14. Consider the following pairs:
| Guru Shikhar |
Highest peak of the Aravalli Range |
| Dodabetta Peak |
Highest peak in the Western Ghats |
| Thullier Peak |
Highest peak in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
[A] Only one pair
[B] Only two pairs
[C] All three pairs
[D] None of the pairs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Only one pair]
Notes:
-
Guru Shikhar is the highest peak of the Aravalli Range, at an elevation of 1,722 meters (5,650 ft):
Guru Shikhar is located in the Mount Abu region of Rajasthan, India, and is named after Dattatreya, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The name “Guru Shikhar” translates to “the peak of the guru”
- The Anamudi peak in Kerala, at a height of 2695 metres, is the highest peak in the Western Ghats. In Tamil Nadu, the Dodabetta peak near Ooty is also quite high, with an elevation of 2637 metres.
- The highest peak in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is Saddle Peak, which is 737 meters (2,418 feet) tall. It’s located on North Andaman Island, close to the east coast, and is surrounded by Saddle Peak National Park.
15. The Department of Fisheries has designated the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a Tuna Cluster under which scheme?
[A] Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
[B] National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen
[C] Development of Fisheries in Running Water
[D] Blue Revolution Scheme
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana ]
Notes:
The Department of Fisheries has designated the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a Tuna Cluster under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). This region has a 6.0 lakh sq km Exclusive Economic Zone rich in tuna, offering benefits in fisheries due to its location, sustainable practices, and trade routes. Tuna, part of the Thunnus genus, is fast and migratory, found in tropical and temperate oceans, with species like Skipjack and Yellowfin contributing $41 billion in trade annually. Tuna is rich in Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Omega-3s, protein, and antioxidants. Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), launched in 2020, aims to enhance fisheries growth.
16. What is the proposed new name for the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair?
[A] Kesari
[B] Sri Vijaya Puram
[C] Samudram
[D] Kalavari
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Sri Vijaya Puram]
Notes:
Union Home Minister announced that Port Blair will be renamed ‘Sri Vijaya Puram.’ Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, was named after naval officer Archibald Blair. It is located on the east coast of South Andaman Island and hosted the first Tiranga unfurling by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Historically, the Andaman Islands were used by Chola emperor Rajendra I for a naval base to attack Srivijaya (present-day Indonesia). The Cholas called the islands “Ma-Nakkavaram,” which may have led to the name Nicobar. The Chola invasion of Srivijaya marked a significant event in India-Southeast Asia relations.
17. Who became the Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN)?
[A] Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan
[B] Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee
[C] Air Marshal B. Manikantan
[D] Air Marshal Anil Kumar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan]
Notes:
Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan AVSM, VM recently became the 17th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN).
The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is the only Joint-services Command in India.
18. Prime Minister Modi to name 21 islands of Andaman & Nicobar after which awardees?
[A] Bharat Ratna
[B] Padma Vibhushan
[C] Padma Bhushan
[D] Param Vir Chakra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Param Vir Chakra]
Notes:
Prime Minister Modi named 21 islands of Andaman & Nicobar after Param Vir Chakra awardees, to give due honour and recognition to real-life heroes.
The move was taken on Parakram Diwas, also known as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti. The national event aims to mark the birth anniversary of prominent Indian freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
19. Which of the following pairs of tribes and their respective states are correctly matched?
- Hatti – Andaman & Nicobar
- Narikoravar – Tamil Nadu
- Kuruvikaran – Meghalaya
- Binjhia – Chhattisgarh
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
[A] Only 1 & 2
[B] Only 2 & 4
[C] Only 1, 3 & 4
[D] 1, 2, 3 & 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 2 & 4]
Notes:
Hatti tribe belongs to Himachal Pradesh, not Andaman & Nicobar. Narikoravar is correctly matched with Tamil Nadu. Kuruvikaran is a tribe of Tamil Nadu, not Meghalaya. Binjhia is correctly matched with Chhattisgarh. Thus, only pairs 2 and 4 are correctly matched.
20. Consider the following statements regarding Sea cucumbers:
- They are marine vertebrates that belong to the taxonomic class Holothuroidea.
- They are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
- Andaman and Nicobar created the world's first conservation area for sea cucumbers.
Which of the above statements is / are correct?
[A] Only 1 and 3
[B] Only 2
[C] Only 1
[D] 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 2]
Notes:
Sea cucumbers are marine invertebrates belonging to the class Holothuroidea of the phylum Echinodermata. They are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, affording them highest protection. In 2020, Lakshadweep (not Andaman and Nicobar) declared the world’s first sea cucumber conservation area, making only statement 2 correct.
