UPSC 2022: Nexus 81—90

Official Verdict: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

The Core Concept: Both statements invert reality. High clouds (like cirrus) are thin and composed of ice crystals; they let incoming shortwave solar radiation pass through easily, but they trap the outgoing longwave infrared radiation emanating from the Earth, resulting in a net warming effect (greenhouse effect) (1 is false). Conversely, low clouds (like stratus) are thick and dense; they reflect the vast majority of incoming sunlight back into space before it hits the surface, leading to a net cooling effect (albedo) (2 is false).

Tethered to: REALM 75: Clouds

Official Verdict: (c) 2 and 5

The Core Concept: The Organization of Turkic States (formerly the Turkic Council) is a geopolitical organization comprising countries with a predominant Turkic heritage and language. Its full members are Turkey, Azerbaijan (2), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan (5). Armenia is geographically adjacent but ethnically and linguistically distinct (and historically hostile to Azerbaijan/Turkey). Croatia and Romania are European/Balkan nations with no Turkic linguistic heritage.

Tethered to: REALM 108: Regional Groupings in Current Affairs

Official Verdict: (d) 1, 2 and 3

The Core Concept: UNCLOS establishes strict distance metrics. The Territorial Sea, where the state wields absolute sovereignty, extends a maximum of 12 nautical miles from the baseline (1 is true). Despite this sovereignty, international law guarantees foreign ships (even from landlocked nations) the right of innocent passage through these territorial waters, provided they act peacefully (2 is true). The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), granting sovereign rights over marine resources, is strictly capped at 200 nautical miles from the baseline (3 is true).

Tethered to: REALM 99: UNCLOS & Maritime Zones

Official Verdict: (c) Only three pairs

The Core Concept: Chad was in the news because its long-term President Idriss Déby was killed in battle, leading to a military council takeover (China set up its military base in Djibouti, not Chad, so 1 is false). In September 2021, the military in Guinea staged a coup d'état, suspending the constitution (2 is true). Lebanon has been suffering a historic, currency-cratering economic collapse since 2019 (3 is true). In July 2021, Tunisia's President Kais Saied controversially suspended parliament and dismissed the Prime Minister (4 is true). Therefore, three pairs are correct.

Tethered to: REALM 107: Global Institutions in Current Affairs

Official Verdict: (a) 1 and 2

The Core Concept: Section 39 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (and upheld by the Supreme Court) explicitly declares that all wild animals are government property (1 is true). The legal protection afforded to Schedule I/II animals applies universally to the species, regardless of whether it wanders outside a designated sanctuary or national park (2 is true). Crucially, mere "apprehension" of danger is not a legally sufficient ground for killing. The Chief Wildlife Warden must formally certify in writing that the animal has actually become a threat and cannot be tranquilized or translocated before authorizing its culling (3 is false).

Tethered to: REALM 194: Wildlife Protection Law