Past Questions — 2025

Let's analyze each statement individually: Statement I: 'Alluvial soil covers the largest land area in India.' This is CORRECT. Alluvial soils are the most widespread soil type in India, covering approximately 40% of the total land area, primarily found in the Indo-Gangetic plains and coastal regions. Statement II: 'Laterite soil is rich in organic matter and highly suitable for growing pulses.' This is INCORRECT. Laterite soils are formed under conditions of high temperature and heavy rainfall with alternating wet and dry periods. This leads to intense leaching of nutrients (like silica and lime), making the soil acidic and poor in organic matter (humus). While they can be used for cashew nuts and tea/coffee with fertilizers, they are not naturally rich in organic matter nor are they the primary soil for pulses. Statement III: 'Black soil (Regur) is also known as a self-ploughing soil.' This is CORRECT. Black soil has a high clay content, which causes it to swell when wet and shrink/crack when dry. These deep cracks allow oxygen to penetrate deeper into the soil and cause the soil to 'break' naturally, a characteristic known as 'self-ploughing'. Since statements I and III are correct and statement II is incorrect, the correct option is 'I and III only'.

Financial Inclusion is the process of ensuring access to appropriate financial products and services needed by all sections of society, especially vulnerable groups, at an affordable cost in a fair and transparent manner. 1. Statement I is correct: A primary goal of financial inclusion is to bring the 'unbanked' population (those without a bank account) into the formal banking system to facilitate savings and government transfers. 2. Statement II is incorrect: While financial literacy is a part of financial inclusion, it is not limited to the 'stock market only.' In fact, basic banking, savings, and credit literacy are far more critical for the target population than stock market trading. 3. Statement III is correct: Financial inclusion extends beyond just bank accounts to include access to affordable insurance (risk mitigation) and credit (loans for productivity), which prevents the poor from relying on predatory informal moneylenders. Therefore, only statements I and III are correct.