UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 16 December 2025

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct: The Natyashastra is the foundational Sanskrit treatise on drama, dance, and music, traditionally attributed to Bharata Muni. It is revered as the Natya Veda (Fifth Veda), intended to communicate values to all sections of society.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The text is composed primarily in śloka (verse) form, although it does contain a few prose explanations in later recensions. It is not entirely in prose.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The text describes a four-fold acting toolset (Abhinaya), which includes Angika (body), Vachika (speech), Aharya (costume/props), and Sattvika (inner emotion). It does not limit performance to just physical movements; it integrates speech, costumes, and emotions.
• Statement 4 is correct: The most influential classical commentary on the Natyashastra is Abhinavagupta’s Abhinavabharati, dating to the 10th–11th century CE.

Solution: B

• Statement-I is correct: Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II (c. 705–745 CE) belonged to the Mutharaiyar dynasty and functioned as a feudatory of the Pallavas, specifically under King Nandivarman II. He helped maintain regional order during the decline of Pallava authority.
• Statement-II is correct: The Mutharaiyars were early temple builders in Tamil Nadu. Their architectural innovations in rock-cut and structural temples influenced the early Chola temple tradition, preceding the rise of Vijayalaya Chola.

While both statements are factually correct, the fact that he influenced Chola architecture (Statement-II) is not the explanation for why he was a feudatory of the Pallavas (Statement-I). His feudatory status was a political arrangement, while his architectural influence was a cultural legacy.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is correct: The Dandami Maria (or Bison Horn Maria) are part of the broader Gond (Koytorias) ethnic group and predominantly inhabit the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.
• Statement 2 is correct: They speak Dandami Maria, and many use Gondi dialects, which are of Dravidian origin.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The Dandami Maria society has flexible social norms that permit divorce and widow remarriage, contrary to the statement that they are strictly prohibited.

Solution: D

• Statement I is correct: NECA is implemented by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power.
• Statement II is correct: NECA 2025 introduced a new category for Social Media Influencers & Digital Content Creators.
• Statement III is correct: The awards aim to recognize outstanding achievements in energy efficiency and reduction of energy consumption without compromising productivity.
• While all three statements are factually correct, neither the introduction of a new category (Statement II) nor the general aim of the awards (Statement III) serves as the explanation for why the awards are implemented by the BEE (Statement I).

Solution: C

Jordan is located in Southwest Asia. Its neighboring nations are:

• Syria to the north.
• Iraq to the northeast.
• Saudi Arabia to the east and south.
• Israel and the West Bank to the west.
• Lebanon and Turkey do not share a land border with Jordan (separated by Syria). Egypt is not a direct land neighbour, though Jordan has a coastline on the Gulf of Aqaba nearby; Egypt lies across the Gulf of Aqaba and borders Israel.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is correct: The BEE was established under the statutory framework of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The BEE operates under the Ministry of Power, not the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The awards are also presented by dignitaries associated with the Power Ministry (e.g., Secretary, Power chairs the committee).

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is correct. The IMO was established by a convention adopted under the auspices of the United Nations in 1948. However, the convention did not come into force until 1958, and the first session was held in 1959.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. The headquarters of the International Maritime Organization is located in London, United Kingdom, not Geneva.
• Statement 3 is correct. The IMO is responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. A key function is overseeing global norms on seafarer training, certification, and watchkeeping, primarily through the STCW Convention (International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers).

Solution: C

• Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: Angika refers to expression through the body (physical movements and gestures), whereas expression through costume and props is known as Aharya.
• Pair 2 is correctly matched: Vachika Abhinaya pertains to expression through speech, including intonation, delivery, and dialogue.
• Pair 3 is correctly matched: Sattvika Abhinaya involves expression through inner emotion or psychological states, which is considered essential for authentic performance.
• The Natyashastra integrates these four types (Angika, Vachika, Aharya, Sattvika) to create a complete theatrical experience.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct. The Ellora Caves are excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills, which are part of the Sahyadri range (Western Ghats) in Maharashtra.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. The chronology is the reverse of what is stated. The Buddhist caves (Caves 1–12) are the earliest (~200 BCE–600 CE), followed by the Hindu caves (Caves 13–29, ~500–900 CE), and finally the Jain caves (Caves 30–34, ~800–1000 CE).
• Statement 3 is correct. The Hindu caves, particularly the magnificent Kailasa Temple, were constructed during the Rashtrakuta dynasty’s rule. Krishna I of the Rashtrakuta dynasty is famously associated with the commissioning of the Kailasa Temple.

Solution: D

• Statement 1 is correct. The Black Sea receives large inputs of fresh water from major rivers like the Danube, Dnieper, and Don. This inflow creates a layer of less saline, oxygenated water on top, which floats on the denser, saltier water from the Mediterranean, causing stratification.
• Statement 2 is correct. Below a depth of about 150–200 meters, the water is anoxic (devoid of oxygen) and contains high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide. Consequently, it supports no multicellular life forms (fish, etc.) in these deep layers; only anaerobic bacteria exist there.
• Statement 3 is incorrect. The Black Sea is a remnant of the ancient Tethys Sea, which existed millions of years ago. While its water levels have fluctuated with glacial cycles, it is not simply a “young sea formed by melting glaciers” but a geological basin with a much older tectonic history transformed over millions of years.