Answer: D

Explanation:

President Droupadi Murmu and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar have greeted the nation on the occasion of Buddha Purnima which is being celebrated in different parts of the country today. Buddha Purnima, also known as Vesak or Buddha Jayanti, is a festival celebrated by Buddhists worldwide on the first full moon of the Hindu calendar month Vaishakha. Hence, statement 1 is correct.      

It commemorates the birth of Lord Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, around 563 BC in Lumbini, present-day Nepal. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

The day is considered a triple-blessed day, marking Buddha's birth, enlightenment (Bodhi) and death (Maha Parnirvana). Hence, statement 3 is correct.

In 1999, Buddha Purnima was designated as an international day by the United Nations to acknowledge Buddhism's contributions to society. The Mahabodhi Temple, where Lord Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Spain recently joined the International Solar Alliance as its 99th member, announced by the External Affairs Ministry. The International Solar Alliance is an intergovernmental organization and a collaborative platform aimed at increasing the deployment of solar energy technologies. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

It was founded by the Prime Minister of India (Narendra Modi) and the President of France (François Hollande) at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris. It was conceptualized during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris in 2015. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

It aims to install 1000 GW of solar energy capacity and mitigate 1000 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Its headquarter is at Gurugram in Haryana. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Answer: D

Explanation:

Recently, six individuals, including two children, were reported missing after a boat carrying seven overturned in the Ujani dam waters in Maharashtra. The Ujani Dam, also known as the Bhima Dam, is an earth and concrete masonry dam in Maharashtra. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.

The Ujani Dam was commissioned in June 1980 and is 2,534 meters long. The dam is built on the Bhima River, a tributary of the Krishna River in Solapur District. Hence, statement 2 is also incorrect.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Recently, a retiring judge of Calcutta High Court revealed in his farewell speech that he was, and is, a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Collegium system is a novel mechanism devised to ensure a democratic system of appointment and transfer of judges. Since the 1990s, appointments to the Supreme Court and High Courts have been done through the Collegium system, in which judges appoint judges. Hence, statement I is correct.

There was controversy in February last year, after lawyer Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri was appointed additional judge of the Madras High Court. Justice Victoria Gowri had been a national general secretary of the BJP women’s wing and 21 Madras High Court lawyers wrote to the President and the Supreme Court Collegium objecting to her elevation as a judge. Hence, statement II is correct.

Here, Statements I and II both are correct but statement-II is not the correct explanation for statement-I. Hence, option (b) is correct.

Answer: D

Explanation:

Recently, Spain has become the 99th member of the International Solar Alliance. Spain is located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Spain shares its borders with Mediterranean Sea to the east & southeast, Portugal to the west, Andorra and the Bay of Biscay to the north, Gibraltar to the south, France to the northeast and Atlantic Ocean to the northwest. Madrid is the capital of Spain. Spain includes the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities, including Catalonia, Andalusia, Madrid and more. The Ebro River is one of the significant rivers in Spain. Hence, option (d) is correct.