(a) Only one statement is correct (1st)
A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is formed by a motion passed in either House of Parliament, as per the requirements of the parliamentary procedure. It is not required that both Houses pass a motion to form a JPC, but one House can initiate the formation.
The Chairman of a JPC is usually appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, though in some cases, a member from the Rajya Sabha could be appointed if the Speaker deems appropriate.
The powers and functions of JPCs are not explicitly laid down by the Constitution of India. Instead, they are governed by parliamentary procedures and precedents, with the scope of their powers being decided by the Houses of Parliament. (3rd statement is incorrect)
The findings and recommendations of a JPC are not binding on the government, but they are taken seriously and the government often acts on the recommendations. (2nd statement is incorrect)

(a) 1, 2, and 4 only
In 2023, at the 15th BRICS summit held in Johannesburg, the following countries were invited to join the BRICS grouping as full members:

Argentina (Statement 1)
Egypt (Statement 2)
Saudi Arabia (Statement 4)
Indonesia (Statement 3) was not invited to join BRICS in 2023. The countries invited to join BRICS were selected as part of the group’s expansion efforts, marking a significant development in BRICS’s global influence.

(c) All three statements are correct
Strategic minerals, also known as critical minerals, are minerals that are important for a country’s military, industrial, and technological development. They are often concentrated in a few countries and are vital to the defense industry and other strategic sectors.
Here are some examples of strategic minerals:
Tin, cobalt, lithium, germanium, gallium, indium, niobium, beryllium, tantalum, tungsten, bismuth, and selenium: These minerals are considered strategic by the Ministry of Mines in India.
Coal, iron ore, bitumen, gold, limestone, lead-zinc, and barite: These minerals are considered strategic by the IEA.
Sulphur, lead, petroleum, zinc, mercury, platinum, nickel, graphite, tin, and ferro-tungsten: These minerals are considered strategic in India because they are in short supply.

(a) Only one statement is correct
In molecular biology, DNA Replication is the biological process of producing two identical replicas of DNA from one original DNA molecule. DNA replication occurs in all living organisms acting as the most essential part of biological inheritance. (1st pair is incorrect)
DNA can be produced from RNA through a process called Reverse Transcription. This process uses an RNA template and the enzyme reverse transcriptase to synthesize a DNA molecule. (2nd pair is correct)
The process of making RNA from DNA is called Transcription. It occurs in the nucleus of the cell. (3rd pair is incorrect)
The process of converting RNA into proteins is called Translation. Ribosomes, which are cellular structures made of proteins and ribosomal RNA (rRNA), convert mRNA into amino acid sequences. These sequences form polypeptides, which later fold into active proteins. (4th pair is incorrect)

(d) Nashik inscription
Nasik inscription highlights the achievements of Gautamiputra Satakarni. It is also known as Nashik prashasti in which his mother Gautami Balasri’s has given a eulogy, which credits him with extensive military conquests. It gives a detailed account of the Satavahana dynasty. There is another Nasik inscription made in the Nasik Caves in the year 120 CE by Ushavadata, a viceroy of the Western Satraps ruler Nahapana. It is the earliest known instance of Sanskrit usage in western India, though in a rather hybrid form.