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Past Questions — 2023
The number of Biosphere Reserved in India is amounting to
A)
15
B)
21
C)
18
D)
14
There are 18 designated Biosphere Reserves established across India by the Government of India.
Indian constitution does not provide any procedure to remove the
A)
President
B)
Vice President
C)
Governor
D)
Judge of Supreme Court
Under Article 156(1) of the Indian Constitution, the Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President. The Constitution does not specify any grounds or formal impeachment procedure for removing a Governor.
The most abundant gas in the Earth’s atmosphere is
A)
Oxygen
B)
Carbon Dioxide
C)
Nitrogen
D)
Green House gas
The Earth's atmosphere is composed of a mixture of various gases. By volume, the approximate composition of dry air is as follows:
1. Nitrogen (N₂): Approximately 78.08%
2. Oxygen (O₂): Approximately 20.95%
3. Argon (Ar): Approximately 0.93%
4. Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): Approximately 0.04%
Comparing the options:
- Option (a) Oxygen is the second most abundant gas.
- Option (b) Carbon Dioxide is a trace gas present in very small quantities.
- Option (c) Nitrogen is the most abundant gas, making up nearly 78% of the atmosphere.
- Option (d) 'Green House gas' is a category of gases (including CO₂, Methane, and Water Vapor), not a single gas, and collectively they make up a tiny fraction of the total atmosphere.
The name Zawlthlia in Mizo folktales is seen in
A)
Sazaltepa leh Bakvawmtepu
B)
Runginu leh Thialtea
C)
Lasiri leh Lalsara
D)
Rimenhawihi
In Mizo folklore, 'Zawlthlia' is a significant character appearing in the story of 'Runginu leh Thialtea'. Zawlthlia is often depicted as a powerful or supernatural figure (often associated with a giant or a formidable antagonist) within the narrative arc of Runginu and Thialtea.
Analyzing the other options:
- 'Sazaltepa leh Bakvawmtepu' is a tale focusing on different characters and themes.
- 'Lasiri leh Lalsara' is a well-known romantic/tragic folk legend.
- 'Rimenhawihi' is one of the most famous Mizo folktales focusing on a beautiful woman and her suitors, but Zawlthlia is not a character in that specific story.
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 biological mechanism required for speciation, as it prevents interbreeding and gene flow between diverging populations.
Maximum reservoir of carbon dioxide is found in
A)
Atmosphere
B)
Landmass
C)
Oceans
D)
Forest
The Earth's carbon cycle involves the exchange of carbon between the atmosphere, biosphere, pedosphere (soil), and hydrosphere (oceans). Among the options provided:
1. **Oceans (Correct):** The oceans are the largest active reservoir of carbon. Carbon is stored in the ocean in several forms, primarily as dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), including bicarbonate and carbonate ions. The deep ocean, in particular, holds far more carbon than the atmosphere and terrestrial biosphere combined.
2. **Atmosphere:** While the atmosphere is critical for the greenhouse effect and carbon exchange, it holds a relatively small fraction of the total global carbon compared to the oceans and the Earth's crust.
3. **Landmass/Forests:** Terrestrial ecosystems (forests and soils) store significant amounts of carbon in biomass and organic matter, but this total is significantly lower than the vast quantities dissolved in the global ocean.
Note: If 'Sedimentary Rocks' or 'Lithosphere' were an option, they would be the absolute largest reservoir overall, but among the active reservoirs listed in the options, the Oceans are the maximum.
In the Sun, helium is produced from hydrogen by
A)
Disintegration
B)
Fission
C)
Fusion
D)
Radioactive decay
The Sun produces energy through a process called nuclear fusion. Specifically, in the Sun's core, extreme temperatures and pressures force hydrogen nuclei (protons) to combine to form helium nuclei. This process, primarily occurring via the proton-proton chain reaction, releases a massive amount of energy in the form of gamma rays and neutrinos because the mass of the resulting helium nucleus is slightly less than the sum of the masses of the original hydrogen nuclei (the mass defect is converted to energy according to 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 splitting of 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 atomic nucleus into a lighter nucleus, usually emitting radiation. While some isotopes created during fusion may decay, the primary process of producing helium from hydrogen is fusion.
India’s sovereignty ultimately rests with the:
A)
President of India
B)
People
C)
Prime Minister
D)
Constitution
In the Indian constitutional framework, as proclaimed in the opening words of the Preamble ('We, the People of India...'), ultimate legal and political sovereignty resides with the People of India.
The function of mammary glands is regulated by a hormone known as
A)
Oxytocin
B)
Prolactin
C)
Thyroxine
D)
Vasopressin
Prolactin is the primary pituitary hormone responsible for the development of mammary glands and the stimulation and regulation of milk production (lactogenesis).
Which of the following is NOT a Vedanga?
A)
Nirukta – Etymology
B)
Vyakarana – Grammar
C)
Kalpa – Ritual instructions
D)
Virakta – Philosophy
The six Vedangas (limbs of the Vedas) are Shiksha (phonetics), Kalpa (ritual instructions), Vyakarana (grammar), Nirukta (etymology), Chhanda (metrics), and Jyotisha (astronomy). 'Virakta' is not a Vedanga.
Consider the following pairs: Article - Provisions 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 (1 is correct); Article 371-B applies to Assam (Goa is 371-I, so 2 is incorrect); Article 371-F applies to Sikkim (3 is correct); and Article 371-H applies to Arunachal Pradesh (4 is correct). Thus, pairs 1, 3, and 4 are correct.
HCFCs can be used as refrigerants instead of
A)
CO
B)
Cl2
C)
CFCs
D)
CO
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) were introduced as temporary replacements for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) because of their substantially lower ozone-depleting potential.
‘Dawhthleng’ is connected with
A)
Bahzar
B)
Luhka
C)
Pûm
D)
Tapchhak
In traditional Mizo house architecture, 'Dawhthleng' refers to the wooden plank/frame border or bench structured alongside the 'Tapchhak' (the traditional central household hearth/fireplace).
The world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge provides a link between
A)
Howrah-Allahabad-Mumbai Railway Link (HAMRL)
B)
Srinagar-Baramullah-Budgam Railway Link (SBBRL)
C)
Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramullah Railway Link (USBRL)
D)
Udhampur-Srinagar-Allahabad Railway Link (USARL)
The Chenab Bridge is a core part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramullah Railway Link (USBRL) project in Jammu and Kashmir.
Which one of the pairs given below is/are correctly matched? Lake - State 1. Chilka Lake - Odisha 2. Lake Pulicat - Tamil Nadu 3. Lake Sambhar - Gujarat 4. Wular Lake - Jammu and Kashmir
A)
1,2 and 3
B)
2, 3 and 4
C)
1, 2 and 4
D)
1, 3 and 4
Chilka is in Odisha, Pulicat is on the border of AP and Tamil Nadu, Wular is in J&K. Sambhar is in Rajasthan, not Gujarat.
Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa was granted to the East India Company after their victory in the
A)
Third Battle of Panipat 1761
B)
Battle of Plassey 1757
C)
Battle of Buxar 1764
D)
Battle of Wandiwash 1760
The Diwani rights were granted following the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) which resulted from the British victory at the Battle of Buxar (1764).
The G20 members represent over
A)
87% of global GDP
B)
75% of global GDP
C)
85% of global GDP
D)
65% of global GDP
The G20 member economies account for around 85% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), over 75% of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world's population.
Which of the following acts as photosensitizer during photosynthesis?
A)
Haemin
B)
Pyruvic acid
C)
Chlorogen
D)
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll molecules absorb radiant energy from light and transfer that energy to drive photosynthetic chemical reactions, acting as the primary photosensitizer in photosynthesis.
Who was popularly known as the Indian Napoleon?
A)
Chandragupta Maurya
B)
Shivaji
C)
Prithviraj Chauhan
D)
Samudragupta
Samudragupta is famously referred to as the 'Napoleon of India' due to his extensive military campaigns and conquests, as described in the Allahabad Pillar inscription.
The mahajanapadas were;
A)
Ten Kingdoms
B)
Twelve Kingdoms
C)
Fifteen Kingdoms
D)
Sixteen Kingdoms
The term 'Mahajanapadas' refers to the sixteen great kingdoms and oligarchic republics that flourished across northern and central India during the 6th to 4th centuries BCE, as documented in ancient Buddhist (Anguttara Nikaya) and Jaina (Bhagavati Sutra) texts.
Which of the following is formed due to the filling of lakes?
A)
Lacustrine plain
B)
Peninsula
C)
Alluvium deposit
D)
Piedmont plateau
A lacustrine plain is a flat landform formed by the continuous deposition and accumulation of sediment in a lake basin over time, resulting in a plain after the water drains or recedes.
Which one of the following is not ionizing in nature?
A)
Microwave
B)
UV rays
C)
Beta rays
D)
Gamma rays
Microwaves belong to non-ionizing radiation as they do not have enough energy to ionize atoms or molecules, unlike ultraviolet, beta, and gamma rays which are ionizing.
India is an example of __________ state.
A)
Federal
B)
Unitary
C)
Quasi-Federal
D)
Quasi-Unit
India's constitutional structure is described as Quasi-Federal.
Who has been recently appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Mizoram University?
A)
Prof. Samba Shiva Rao
B)
Prof. Ghanashyam Deka
C)
Prof. Dibakar Chandra Deka
D)
Prof. Mukesh Kumar Yadav
Prof. Dibakar Chandra Deka, a distinguished professor of chemistry from Gauhati University, was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Mizoram University (MZU), assuming office on May 1, 2023.
Who proposed the 10% law of energy flow in ecosystems?
A)
Lindeman
B)
Carl Mobius
C)
Tansley
D)
Darwin
The 10% law of trophic efficiency was formulated by Raymond Lindeman in 1942. It states that during energy transfer from one trophic level to the next, only about 10% of the energy is conserved as biomass, with the rest lost as heat and metabolic energy.