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Past Questions
Who said that Indian village is not a self-sufficient unit?
A)
BR Ambedkar
B)
Dipankar Gupta
C)
MN Srinivas
D)
SC Dubey
B.R. Ambedkar stressed that the Indian village was not a self-sufficient isolated unit.
Who founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal?
A)
William Jones
B)
Max Muller
C)
Charles Wilkins
D)
Alexander Cunningham
Sir William Jones founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784.
The term “Adivasi” means:
A)
Migrant group
B)
Nomadic settlers
C)
Indigenous population
D)
Rural Poor
Adivasi literally refers to indigenous/first inhabitants.
A social movement is best defined as:
A)
Government policy
B)
Individual protest
C)
Collective organized effort for social change
D)
Cultural ritual
A social movement is an organised collective effort directed toward social change.
Which of the following is false regarding religious sects and denomination?
A)
Both have potential to become mainstream.
B)
Denominations are smaller while sects are larger.
C)
Indian government recognises both as religion.
D)
Sects form as an opposition to the mainstream.
Sects are generally smaller, more exclusive protest groups; denominations are usually broader and less separatist, so the statement reversing this is false.
Which of the following is not associated with the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots?
A)
Akali Dal
B)
Demand for Khalistan
C)
Operation Blue Star
D)
Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)
UAPA is unrelated to the historical causes/events directly associated with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Siddhartha Gautama is associated with:
A)
Buddhism
B)
Jainism
C)
Lingayatism
D)
Shaivism
Siddhartha Gautama was the Buddha, the foundational figure of Buddhism.
Which of the following is false regarding corruption laws in India?
A)
Bribery by “treating” (food, drink, entertainment, or provi-sion) is considered less severe and punishable with fine only and no imprisonment.
B)
If a public servant refuses bribe, the act of bribery remains unfulfilled and therefore the person offering the bribe cannot be prosecuted.
C)
Private bank employees are considered as public servants therefore they face the same rules and regulations regarding corruption as the “regular” public servants.
D)
There is no formal law regarding bribing private/corporate enterprises; however, such can be considered a case of fraud which is punishable.
Private-bank employees are not automatically 'public servants' simply because they work in banking, so that statement is false.
Religious pluralism means:
A)
Single dominant religion
B)
Co-existence of multiple religious communities
C)
Absence of faith is easy
D)
Uniform religious practices
Religious pluralism means coexistence of multiple religious traditions and communities.
Backward class movements mainly aim at:
A)
Cultural revival
B)
Social justice and reservations
C)
Secession
D)
Religious reform
Correct answer: B. Social justice and reservations is the option that matches the standard principle or definition asked.
A population characterized by low birth rates, low death rates, and a high, stable life expectancy is:
A)
Intermediate
B)
Progressive
C)
Regressive
D)
Stationary
A stationary population has low birth and death rates with a stable, high life expectancy.
Poverty alleviation through self-employment is associated with which of the following?
A)
IAY (Indira Awaas Yojana)
B)
MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act)
C)
NRLM (National Rural Livelihoods Mission)
D)
SGSY (Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana)
SGSY focused on self-employment and was later restructured into NRLM.
Infant Mortality Rate measures deaths:
A)
Below 5 years
B)
Within the first year of life
C)
During childbirth only
D)
Among mothers
IMR counts deaths occurring before the first birthday per 1,000 live births.
Population density refers to the population living per:
A)
District
B)
State
C)
Square kilometer
D)
Square kilometer of habitable land
Population density is conventionally measured per square kilometre of area.
Which of the following is an example of peasant movement:
A)
Anti-Mandal agitation
B)
Dalit Panthers movement
C)
Mizo National Front uprising
D)
Naxalbari uprising
The Naxalbari uprising began as a peasant/agrarian movement.
Which of the following land reform schemes utilizes drone technology?
A)
Bhu-Aadhar
B)
DILRMP (Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme)
C)
RCCMS (Revenue Court Case Management System or Revenue Court Cases Monitoring System)
D)
SVAMITRA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas)
SVAMITVA uses drone-based mapping/surveying of village properties.
The term civil society refers to
A)
Government agencies:
B)
Non-governmental organisations
C)
The Military
D)
Economic institutions
Correct answer: B. Non-governmental organisations is the option that matches the standard principle or definition asked.
Marriage of a man with multiple women is a form of:
A)
Monoandry
B)
Monogyny
C)
Polyandry
D)
Polygyny
One man having multiple wives is polygyny.
Which of the following kinship systems is not common among the Mizos?
A)
Ambilineal Descent
B)
Agnatic descent
C)
Joint family
D)
Stem family
Traditional Mizo descent is predominantly agnatic/patrilineal, so ambilineal descent is not the common pattern.
Which of the following is true of Symbolic Interactionism?
A)
People following norms and traditions of interaction is the reason society exists.
B)
It takes a wholesome look at society from a macro perspective.
C)
An action or behaviour is considered good or bad only depending upon its reaction.
D)
What is “real” is defined only through science and not through individual perception.
Symbolic interactionism stresses that meanings are shaped through interaction and interpreted by actors.
Observational techniques are useful for:
A)
Collecting numerical data
B)
Studying behaviour in natural settings
C)
Testing hypotheses statistically
D)
Reviewing existing literature
Correct answer: B. Studying behaviour in natural settings is the option that matches the standard principle or definition asked.
Which of the following is an open system:
A)
Estate system
B)
Jajmani system
C)
Meritocratic system
D)
Varna system
A meritocratic system is open because status is more dependent on achieved characteristics than inherited position.
According to Talcott Parsons, “The four (sometimes five) basic pattern-alternatives of value orientation for individuals and cultures is:
A)
Social Action
B)
Pattern Variables
C)
Social System
D)
Ideal type
Parsons' pattern alternatives are called pattern variables.
According to Gerhard Lenski, in his book “Human Societies” , the oldest and simplest type of society is:
A)
Herding or Pastoral societies
B)
Horticultural Societies
C)
Hunting and Gathering Societies
D)
Agrarian Societies
Lenski places hunting-and-gathering societies as the oldest and simplest type.
In “The Power Elite”, the author states that:
A)
Capital is necessary first and foremost as a foundation for the power elite to arise.
B)
Individuals are powerless and are constantly manipulated by the power elite.
C)
Individuals have the potential to become elites but only by gaining political power.
D)
Only those political leaders elected in a truly democratic process can safeguard individuals.
C. Wright Mills argued that ordinary individuals have limited power relative to the institutional power elite.