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Past Questions — 2023
Match the following and select the correct ones: Biosphere Reserve - State A. Nanda Devi - 1. Odisha B. Manas - 2. Sikkim C. Simlipal - 3. Tamil Nadu D. Kangchenjunga - 4. Assam E. Gulf of Mannar - 5. Uttaranchal
A)
3 4 1 2 5
B)
2 3 5 4 1
C)
5 4 1 2 3
D)
2 3 4 5 1
Nanda Devi is in Uttarakhand/Uttaranchal (5), Manas is in Assam (4), Simlipal is in Odisha (1), Kangchenjunga is in Sikkim (2), and Gulf of Mannar is in Tamil Nadu (3). This corresponds to the sequence 5 4 1 2 3.
Which of the following greenhouse gases has the highest atmospheric lifetime?
A)
CO
B)
N2O
C)
CH4
D)
CF4
Carbon tetrafluoride (CF4) is a potent perfluorocarbon (PFC) greenhouse gas with an exceptionally high atmospheric lifetime exceeding 50,000 years, far surpassing N2O (~114 years), CH4 (~12 years), and CO (a few months).
Which one of the following personalities has become BYJU’s first global brand ambassador for its social impact arm- Education for All?
A)
Christiano Ronaldo
B)
Lionel Messi
C)
Roger Federer
D)
Virat Kohli
In 2022, the ed-tech giant BYJU'S appointed global football icon Lionel Messi as the first global brand ambassador for its social impact arm, 'Education for All'. The initiative aims to provide quality education to underprivileged children across the globe.
Analysis of options:
- a. Cristiano Ronaldo: While a global sports icon, he was not appointed for this specific role.
- b. Lionel Messi: Correct. He was officially announced as the ambassador to promote the 'Education for All' initiative.
- c. Roger Federer: A tennis legend, but not associated with this BYJU'S campaign.
- d. Virat Kohli: An Indian cricket star and brand ambassador for various products, but not the global ambassador for BYJU'S social impact arm.
Which of the following is formed due to the filling of lakes?
A)
Lacustrine plain
B)
Peninsula
C)
Alluvium deposit
D)
Piedmont plateau
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. Definition of Lacustrine: The term 'lacustrine' is derived from the Latin word 'lacus', meaning lake. In geomorphology, lacustrine deposits are sediments that accumulate in a lake environment.
2. Process of Formation: Over time, lakes can be filled with sediments (silt, clay, and organic matter) brought in by rivers or through the weathering of the lake bed. Once the lake is completely filled or dries up, the resulting flat land surface is known as a lacustrine plain.
3. Evaluating other options:
- Peninsula: A piece of land almost surrounded by water or projecting out into a body of water; it is a coastal landform, not formed by the filling of a lake.
- Alluvium deposit: While alluvium (silt/sand) is the material that often fills a lake, 'alluvium deposit' is a general term for any sediment deposited by flowing water (rivers), not specifically the resulting landform of a filled lake.
- Piedmont plateau: A plateau located at the foot of a mountain range (the 'piedmont' area), typically formed by tectonic activity or the accumulation of debris at the base of mountains, not by the filling of lakes.
A polymer which is coated as a thin layer on the inner side of non-sticking pans is
A)
Bakelite
B)
Teflon
C)
PVC
D)
Polypropylenes
Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE) is a fluoropolymer with exceptional thermal stability and a very low coefficient of friction, making it the standard coating used on non-stick cookware.
According to which article of the Indian Constitution, the Union Budget of a year is referred to as the Annual Financial Statement?
A)
Article 108
B)
Article 115
C)
Article 113
D)
Article 112
Under Article 112 of the Indian Constitution, the Union Budget is officially designated as the 'Annual Financial Statement', which estimates receipts and expenditure for each financial year.
Which of the following is important for speciation?
A)
Seasonal isolation
B)
Reproductive isolation
C)
Behavioral isolation
D)
Temporal isolation
Reproductive isolation is the fundamental evolutionary mechanism that prevents interbreeding between different groups, leading to the formation of new distinct biological species (speciation).
Increase in concentration of a toxicant at successive trophic level is called
A)
Bio-magnification
B)
Succession
C)
Eutrophication
D)
Biotransformation
Biomagnification refers to the progressive increase in the concentration of persistent, non-biodegradable toxicants (like DDT and heavy metals) in organisms at successively higher trophic levels of a food chain.
Which Country has forecasted in 2023 that its population will be doubled in the next 26 years mostly due to migration?
A)
England
B)
Canada
C)
Italy
D)
France
In 2023, reports and forecasts indicated that Canada's population was projected to double in the next 26 years, driven largely by high levels of immigration aimed at addressing labor shortages.
Sishu, Kishor, and Tarun are the schemes of
A)
Regional Rural Banks
B)
Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Ltd (MUDRA)
C)
Small Industries Development Banks of India
D)
Industrial Development Bank of India
Under the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), micro-loans are categorized into Shishu (up to Rs 50,000), Kishor (Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh), and Tarun (Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh).
2023 QS World Universities Rankings have included how many Academic Programmes from India within Global Top 100?
A)
22
B)
33
C)
44
D)
12
In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023, a total of 44 academic programmes from Indian universities and institutes were ranked within the global Top 100.
The concept of carbon credit originated from
A)
Kyoto protocol
B)
Montreal protocol
C)
Earth summit
D)
Doha round
The concept of carbon credits was formalized under the Kyoto Protocol as a market-based mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In the Sun, helium is produced from hydrogen by
A)
Disintegration
B)
Fission
C)
Fusion
D)
Radioactive decay
The Sun generates energy through a process called nuclear fusion. Specifically, in the core of the Sun, extreme temperatures and pressures force hydrogen nuclei (protons) to combine and form helium nuclei. This process is known as the proton-proton chain reaction. Because the mass of the resulting helium nucleus is slightly less than the sum of the four hydrogen nuclei that formed it, the missing mass is converted into a tremendous amount of energy according to Einstein's equation E=mc².
Why other options are incorrect:
- a. Disintegration: This is a general term for the breakdown of a nucleus, not the synthesis of a heavier element from a lighter one.
- b. Fission: Nuclear fission is the process of splitting a heavy nucleus (like Uranium-235) into smaller nuclei. This occurs in nuclear power plants, not as the primary energy source of the Sun.
- d. Radioactive decay: This is the spontaneous breakdown of an unstable nucleus into a more stable one, usually emitting radiation. While it occurs in the universe, it is not the mechanism that produces helium from hydrogen in the Sun.
The Mizo’s name for the group of stars known as ‘Taurus’ is
A)
Sichakai
B)
Khiangte zawng zim
C)
Sikawikap
D)
Thlasik kawng
In traditional Mizo astronomy, the constellation Taurus (including the Pleiades cluster) is culturally referred to as 'Khiangte zawng zim'.
The first known settlement of Lusei in Myanmar
A)
Suaipui & Saihmun
B)
Pelpawl & Belmual
C)
Seipui & Khawkawk
D)
Sanzawl & Bochung
In Mizo historical tradition, the first known settlement of the Lusei clan in Myanmar during their westward migration was at Seipui and Khawkawk (while Suaipui & Saihmun is associated with the Ralte, Sanzawl & Bochung with Chawngthu, and Pelpawl & Belmual with Khiangte).
‘Moho Discontinuity in the interior layers of the earth is in between:
A)
Crust and Mantle
B)
Outer and Inner crust
C)
Mantle and Core
D)
Outer and Inner core
The Mohorovičić discontinuity, commonly referred to as the 'Moho', is the boundary between the Earth's crust and the mantle. It was discovered by Andrija Mohorovičić in 1909. This boundary is characterized by a distinct change in the velocity of seismic waves (P-waves), which increase sharply as they pass from the less dense crustal rocks into the denser peridotite of the upper mantle.
Analysis of other options:
- Option b (Outer and Inner crust): There is no such recognized discontinuity between 'outer' and 'inner' crust; the crust is generally divided into oceanic and continental crust.
- Option c (Mantle and Core): The boundary between the mantle and the core is known as the Gutenberg Discontinuity.
- Option d (Outer and Inner core): The boundary between the liquid outer core and the solid inner core is known as the Lehmann Discontinuity.
A micro enterprise is an enterprise where investment in plant and machinery does not exceed how much amount?
A)
Rs. 25 Lakh
B)
Rs. 50 Lakh
C)
Rs. 1 Crore
D)
Rs. 5 Crore
Under the revised MSME classification criteria effective from July 2020, a micro enterprise is defined as an enterprise where investment in plant and machinery does not exceed Rs. 1 Crore and annual turnover does not exceed Rs. 5 Crore.
The current international poverty line according to World Bank using 2017 PPP is
A)
$2.15 a day
B)
$1.85 a day
C)
$1.75 a day
D)
$1.25 a day
The World Bank's current global extreme poverty line, established using 2017 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) prices, is $2.15 per person per day.
Consider the following pairs: 1. Article 371-A - Special provisions for Nagaland 2. Article 371-B - Special provisions for Goa 3. Article 371-F - Special provisions for Sikkim 4. Article 371-H - Special provisions for Arunachal Pradesh Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
A)
1, 2 & 3
B)
1 & 2 only
C)
3 & 4 only
D)
1, 3 & 4
Article 371-A applies to Nagaland, 371-F to Sikkim, and 371-H to Arunachal Pradesh. Article 371-B applies to Assam (Goa is under Article 371-I), making pairs 1, 3, and 4 correctly matched.
Which of the following is NOT a Vedanga?
A)
Nirukta – Etymology
B)
Vyakarana – Grammar
C)
Kalpa – Ritual instructions
D)
Virakta – Philosophy
The six Vedangas are Shiksha (phonetics), Kalpa (rituals), Vyakarana (grammar), Nirukta (etymology), Chhanda (meter), and Jyotisha (astronomy). 'Virakta' is not a Vedanga.
India is an example of __________ state.
A)
Federal
B)
Unitary
C)
Quasi-Federal
D)
Quasi-Unit
Constitutional expert K.C. Wheare famously described the Indian state as 'Quasi-Federal' due to its federal structure combined with strong unitary features.
Scholars suggested that the Great Bath in Mohenjodaro was meant for:
A)
Ritual bath
B)
Family bath
C)
Diving competition
D)
Steam bath
Archaeological analysis of the Great Bath at Mohenjodaro suggests that this watertight tank was designed for ceremonial purification and public ritual bathing in the Indus Valley Civilization.
The most environment-friendly refrigerants are
A)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
B)
Hydrocarbons (HC)
C)
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
D)
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
To determine the most environment-friendly refrigerant, we must evaluate two primary environmental metrics: Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and Global Warming Potential (GWP).
1. **Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs):** These have high ODP because they release chlorine atoms into the stratosphere, which destroy the ozone layer. They also have very high GWP. (Least friendly)
2. **Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs):** These were introduced as transitional substitutes for CFCs. While they have lower ODP than CFCs, they still contain chlorine and contribute to ozone depletion and global warming. (Not friendly)
3. **Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs):** These were developed to have zero ODP (no chlorine). However, they are potent greenhouse gases with very high GWP, contributing significantly to climate change. (Moderately friendly regarding ozone, but poor regarding climate).
4. **Hydrocarbons (HC):** Natural refrigerants like propane (R290) and isobutane (R600a) have zero ODP and extremely low GWP. They do not deplete the ozone layer and have a negligible impact on global warming compared to the other options.
Therefore, Hydrocarbons are the most environment-friendly option among the choices provided.
Which of the following is a bad demon?
A)
Khuavang
B)
Lasi
C)
Chawm
D)
Pheichham
In traditional Mizo folklore, Chawm (or Chawmnu) is a malevolent forest demon known to haunt jungles and bring misfortune, unlike benevolent or wish-granting spirits such as Khuavang, Lasi, and Pheichham.
Which among the following correctly defines Global 200?
A)
An annual list of top ranking 200 companies released by Forbes Magazine
B)
List of 200 World Heritage Sites released by UNESCO
C)
List of 200 Cities which are of strategic importance by UNO
D)
List of 200 Ecoregions identified by the WWF for conservation
The Global 200 is the list of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecoregions prioritized by WWF for conservation priority.