Instructions: –
1. Attempt all the questions.
2. Once you have completed all the questions of a particular section click on the submit button for scores and explanations then move to the next sections.
3. For each correct answer, you receive 1 mark. For this mock, there is no negative marking.
English Language
In many Earth systems, we now see the kind of instability – systems theorists call it flickering – that might suggest they are approaching tipping points. A paper published this year proposes that the total loss of late-summer sea ice in the Arctic is now baked in, and could happen as early as the 2030s. This, in turn, is likely to trigger even more extreme weather events in the northern hemisphere through the weakening of the jet stream.
In the Antarctic, the melting of sea ice has accelerated drastically across the southern summer this year, after which it strangely failed to recover during the southern winter. This suggests an accelerating change of state, which could lead to the cascading collapse of the freshwater ice shelves perched above the sea ice, with catastrophic results for rises in global sea levels. The melting, in turn, appears to be affecting the circulation of currents in the Southern Ocean, which has slowed by about 30% since the 1990s. This impedes the transfer of heat and cold and reduces oxygenation. There are similar impacts in the northern hemisphere, where Arctic ice melt has reduced the Atlantic’s circulation.
New research in the Amazon has found what scientists call “precursor signals” of “an approaching critical transition”. A combination of deforestation and climate breakdown could cut off the circulation of rainfall in the basin, triggering a rapid flip from rainforest to savannah.
July this year was the hottest month ever recorded. September broke the previous record for that month by a massive 0.5°C. A paper published last year explains how this climate breakdown could trigger societal collapse. For instance, in less than 50 years a third of the world’s people could be living in places as hot as the hottest parts of the Sahara are today, many of them in regions that are already highly politically unstable. Even that is not the worst of it. One possible outcome of the rising carbon dioxide concentrations this century is the sudden loss of stratocumulus cloud decks, causing about 8°C of extra surface heating. As in previous great Earth systems collapses, we see these impacts reflected in the loss of species. A recent paper reveals that 48% of the world’s species are declining in population size, while only 3% are rising. Far more wildlife could be heading towards extinction than previously estimated. If species loss is a symptom of systemic collapse, we might already be living on borrowed time.
Every hour is now an “if only” moment: offering a better chance of avoiding collapse than the hour that follows. Grim as our time on Earth is, future generations will look back on it as a golden age. A golden age of wildlife, of mild weather, stability, prosperity, of opportunities to act. Our living world is a grey shadow of what it once was, but a vibrant paradise in comparison with what it will be. Unless, unless.
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Legal Reasoning
In the context of legal proceedings under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Contract Act, the determination of jurisdiction is a critical aspect that ensures proper adjudication of disputes. According to the CrPC, legal jurisdiction is conferred upon courts based on specific criteria, including the location where the contract is made, where the breach occurs, or where the respondent resides. This structured approach aims to provide a clear framework for initiating legal actions, ensuring that the parties involved have a defined legal recourse.
The Indian Contract Act acknowledges that while parties to a contract can agree on certain aspects of their legal relationship, there are limitations to the extent of these agreements. One such limitation involves the restraint on legal proceedings. The Act permits only partial restraint, meaning that parties can agree to limit certain aspects of legal actions, but cannot impose an absolute restraint that would prevent any legal recourse altogether. This provision is designed to maintain a balance between contractual freedom and the need for legal accountability.
An important exception to the restriction on legal proceedings is arbitration. Arbitration allows parties to resolve their disputes outside the traditional court system, offering a more flexible and often expedited process. When parties agree to arbitration, they effectively restrain legal proceedings in courts to the extent that the matter is referred to an arbitrator. This exception is crucial as it provides an alternative dispute resolution mechanism that can be tailored to the specific needs of the parties involved.
The ability to confer jurisdiction within the parameters established by the CrPC is also recognized. Parties to a contract can choose to designate jurisdiction amongst the permissible locations—where the contract was made, where the breach occurred, or where the respondent resides. This contractual stipulation helps to preempt jurisdictional conflicts and provides clarity on where legal proceedings can be initiated. However, it is important to note that contracts cannot create new jurisdictions outside the scope of what the CrPC permits. They must operate within the existing legal framework to ensure enforceability.
Furthermore, contracts cannot impose an absolute restraint on all jurisdictions. Such a restraint would be invalid as it contravenes the principle of allowing access to justice. Absolute restraints would effectively deny parties any forum for dispute resolution, undermining the very essence of legal protection and fairness that the legal system aims to uphold.
In summary, while parties to a contract have considerable freedom to stipulate certain terms, including the choice of jurisdiction, this freedom is bounded by the principles laid out in the CrPC and the Indian Contract Act. Partial restraints on legal proceedings are permissible, and arbitration serves as a valuable exception. However, contracts must respect the limitations of creating new jurisdictions and avoid imposing absolute restraints, thereby ensuring that the rights to legal recourse and fair adjudication are preserved.
Logical Reasoning
India’s Deep Ocean Mission (DOM), a pioneering initiative approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021, represents a significant stride in oceanic exploration and utilization. With a budget of nearly Rs 4,077 crore over five years, the mission encompasses six key areas: development of deep-sea mining technologies and a manned submersible, ocean climate change advisory services, deep-sea biodiversity conservation, deep-ocean survey and exploration, energy and freshwater harnessing from the ocean, and establishing an advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology.
The mission’s first pillar, spearheaded by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), focuses on developing indigenous technologies for deep-sea mining and a crewed submersible. The flagship project under this pillar is ‘Samudrayaan’, aiming to reach a depth of 6,000 meters in the central Indian Ocean with Matsya6000, a deep-ocean submersible designed to accommodate three crew members. Matsya6000, equipped with scientific sensors and tools, has an operational endurance of 12 hours, extendable to 96 hours in emergencies. The submersible’s design has been completed, and initial testing at 500 meters is planned, with full depth capability expected within two to three years.
The mission also involves an integrated system for mining polymetallic nodules from the ocean bed, including valuable minerals like copper, manganese, nickel, and cobalt. NIOT has conducted successful deep-sea locomotion trials using the underwater mining system ‘Varaha’ at a depth of 5,270 meters.
The choice of a 6,000-meter depth is strategic, aligning with India’s commitment to sustainable resource extraction. The allocated region in the central Indian Ocean contains polymetallic nodules and sulphides at depths of 3,000 to 5,500 meters. The mission’s challenges are manifold, including high-pressure conditions, soft and muddy ocean bed, power requirements for material extraction, and limited visibility.
Matsya6000, a titanium alloy-constructed submersible, is designed to withstand pressures of up to 6,000 bar. It features propellers for movement in all directions, three viewports, 12 cameras, 16 lights, and state-of-the-art navigation and positioning systems. This submersible places India on the global front of deep-ocean exploration, alongside countries like the U.S.A., Russia, China, France, and Japan.
The deep-ocean mining vehicle ‘Varaha’ operates using a flexible riser technique, allowing it to move around the ocean bed while the surface ship moves in tandem. It uses a high-power pressure pump system for extracting polymetallic nodules, which are then pumped to the surface ship.
India’s DOM, through its collaborative efforts involving various national institutes and academia, reflects the nation’s scientific zeal and commitment to advancing oceanic exploration and utilization. By 2025, significant progress is expected, marking India’s foray into a new era of deep-sea exploration and mining.
Quantitative Techniques
On Friday, 1500 people visited an ice cream parlor, out of which certain numbers of people like one or more than one ice cream out of the three types of ice creams: Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry while rest people didn’t like any of the three ice creams. Number of people who like only Vanilla, only Chocolate and only Strawberry are in the ratio 14:11:13, respectively. Numbers of people who like only Vanilla are seven times the number of people who like all the three types of ice creams. Numbers of people who like both Vanilla and Chocolate ice creams but not Strawberry are 50% more than the number of people who like all the three types of ice creams. Number of people who like both Strawberry and Vanilla ice creams is 165 less than the number of people who like only Chocolate ice cream. Number of people who like both Strawberry and Chocolate ice creams, but not Vanilla ice cream are five more than the number of people who like both Strawberry and Vanilla ice creams, but not Chocolate ice cream. Numbers of people who didn’t like any of the three ice creams are 50% more than the number of people who like exactly two types of ice creams.
General Knowledge
Legal history in India is one with a rich tapestry of cultures and complex society. As far as the law was concerned, its origin followed the advent of ancient texts such as the Manusmriti written around 200 BCE to 200 CE. It was in this book that the foundational Hindu law and social code were laid. He believed that people should follow the principles of dharma, which can be said to be moral law, defining the rights and duties. The Manusmriti had further sub-divided the laws into two groups: varna, or social class, and ashrama, or stage of life. This division remained strong throughout the centuries and continued to influence the legal system.
Indian jurisprudence came under Islamic law when the Mughal Empire emerged in the 16th century. The Mughals introduced the term “sharia” and the “darbar” system, whereby the emperor served as the supreme judicial power. During this time, codification took place in criminal justice and land revenue, bringing together Hindu and Islamic influences. Notable figures like Emperor Akbar encouraged syncretic legal structures and instilled religious tolerance as they established courts welcoming multireligious populations.
The British colonial period was a significant watershed in the Indian law calendar. The British legal principles started invading India with the establishment of the rule of the East India Company in the 18th century. It was during this time that the formal judicial system came into existence due to the Regulating Act of 1773 and subsequent laws. The formation of the Supreme Court in Calcutta in 1774 marked the effective dawn of modern law in India. The British further codified laws through the Indian Penal Code in 1860 and the Civil Procedure Code in 1908, both of which remain indispensable for India today. The mass struggle for freedom, feeding on this drive for justice in its own endeavor, not only created expectations of what Indian reformation should be but also nurtured an ethos of legal equity and social redress by such leaders as Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Constituent Assembly-A body established in 1946 to prepare the Indian Constitution; the Indian Constitution was implemented on January 26, 1950. The very constitution vested fundamental rights, equality before law, and the principle of justice in the premises of democracy.
Post-independence, India saw significant developments in its law-related field: enactment of various laws on social issues, like the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989. The independence of the judiciary has played a prime role in the enunciation of constitutional rights, interpretation of laws, and expansion of the scope of justice with landmark judgments. The journey of the legal history of India has been one of constant flux and has been made under the influences of social, political, and cultural compulsions reflecting the country’s quest for justice and equality.