UPSC Editorials Quiz : 1 June 2026

Solution: D

• Under the first phase of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM 1.0), the Union Government approved twelve chip plants across multiple states to foster a robust domestic semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.
• Crystal Matrix Ltd has been approved to set up a Rs 3,068 crore compound semiconductor fabrication facility in Dholera, Gujarat, utilizing advanced Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology to manufacture Mini/Micro-LED display modules.
• SiCSem has been established as a dedicated semiconductor facility in Odisha. HCL-Foxconn is setting up an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) plant in Uttar Pradesh, which is critical for packaging and testing integrated circuits.
• Additionally, Advanced System in Package Technologies has been approved to establish its semiconductor packaging unit in Andhra Pradesh. These projects are highly subsidized, with the central government providing up to 50% capital expenditure support. This structural distribution demonstrates that India’s semiconductor strategy is geographically diversified, spanning multiple industrial hubs to avoid regional concentration.

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Solution: C

• Statement I is correct. The treaty functions on a Core Grand Bargain that sets up asymmetric legal obligations between blocks. Non-Nuclear Weapon States (NNWS) agree to a complete prohibition on acquiring or developing nuclear warheads in exchange for access to peaceful civilian atomic tech.
• Statement II is incorrect. While the NPT outlines disarmament pledges (Article VI) and uses IAEA safeguards to verify compliance, the treaty text itself does not contain a mechanism for automatic economic or military sanctions. Any enforcement actions, punitive measures, or sanctions must be debated and passed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC); the treaty does not hold independent, automatic punitive powers.

Solution: C

• India and the United States signed a bilateral framework agreement focused on securing and diversifying supply chains for critical minerals and rare earth elements. This pact is designed to deepen cooperation across exploration, mining, processing, recycling, and related investments.
• These materials are vital for manufacturing high-end technology products, such as electric vehicles, batteries, and defense hardware. The partnership seeks to build trusted networks and reduce collective vulnerabilities to single-source monopolies in the global market.

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Solution: B

• The High-Level Committee on Demographic Change, which was constituted to scientifically assess demographic shifts arising from illegal immigration and other unnatural causes, is chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar.
• The panel also includes technical experts and administrative members, such as the Census Commissioner, retired IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, retired IPS officer Balaji Srivastava, and economist Dr. Shamika Ravi. The committee’s role is to suggest policy, legislative, and administrative measures to the central government for population stabilization and better border management.

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Solution: C

• Gallium Nitride (GaN) is increasingly being adopted as an alternative to silicon in modern high-power and high-frequency electronics. GaN is significantly more efficient at conducting higher voltages over longer periods and permits a faster flow of electric current than traditional silicon.
• Additionally, GaN structures produce lower operational heat emissions, which allows individual components to be stacked much closer together. This space-saving design is why GaN chargers and semiconductor components are drastically smaller in size.

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