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Past Questions
Mirroring is:
A)
Using a mirror to see one’s appearance
B)
Mimicking someone else’s manner of speech
C)
Matching the body language of someone we like
D)
Mocking someone by mimicking their behavior
In the context of management, soft skills, and psychology, 'mirroring' is a non-verbal communication technique. It involves subtly mimicking the gestures, posture, facial expressions, or tone of voice of another person. This behavior is often subconscious and occurs when people feel a sense of rapport, empathy, or attraction toward someone. By matching the other person's body language, an individual can build trust and make the other person feel more comfortable and understood.
Analysis of other options:
- Option (a) describes the literal use of a mirror, which is not the psychological/communication concept being tested.
- Option (b) refers to mimicking speech, which can be a part of mirroring, but 'mirroring' as a soft skill primarily focuses on the holistic synchronization of body language to build rapport, rather than just speech patterns.
- Option (d) describes 'mocking,' which is a negative, intentional act of ridicule, whereas mirroring is generally a positive or neutral social bonding mechanism.
Plain ‘green’ is not enough
A)
as ‘green’ does not mean trees and plants only
B)
as ‘green’ includes other vegetations not healthy for birds
C)
as ‘green’ do not enhance the safety of birds these days
D)
as ‘green’ means only green coloured plants not good for the birds
The passage highlights that commercial monoculture plantations ('plain green') do not provide the complex tree and plant diversity required to sustain healthy bird populations.
Memory is not a flawless process because of the following shortcomings:
A)
Psychological and physical processes
B)
News memories are created every second
C)
Forgetting things or not encoding information properly
D)
Memory lies outside of our awareness all the time
The correct option is 'c' because memory flaws are primarily characterized by failures in the three stages of memory: encoding (getting information in), storage (retaining information), and retrieval (getting information back out). Forgetting and improper encoding are direct examples of these failures, making memory an imperfect process.
Other options are incorrect because:
- (a) Psychological and physical processes are the mechanisms that *enable* memory, not necessarily the shortcomings themselves.
- (b) The creation of new memories is a normal function of a healthy brain, not a flaw.
- (d) While some memories are subconscious, the fact that they lie outside of immediate awareness is a feature of memory storage (implicit memory), not a 'shortcoming' that makes the process flawed.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY) is a:
A)
Pension scheme for small and marginal farmers.
B)
Direct money transfer scheme to the farmers according to the size of landholding.
C)
Crop insurance scheme for the farmers.
D)
Subsidy scheme for farmers cultivating cash crops.
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY) is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme launched by the Government of India to provide social security to Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs).
1. **How it works**: Farmers in the age group of 18-40 years contribute a fixed monthly amount (depending on their age), which is matched by an equal contribution from the Central Government.
2. **Benefit**: Upon reaching the age of 60, the subscriber receives a guaranteed minimum pension of ₹3,000 per month.
Why other options are incorrect:
- **Option b**: Direct money transfer based on landholding describes schemes like PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi), not PM-KMY.
- **Option c**: Crop insurance is the primary objective of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
- **Option d**: While there are various subsidies for cash crops, PM-KMY is specifically a pension/social security product, not a cultivation subsidy.
The Alkire-Foster methodology of the multidimensional poverty index has three equally weighted dimensions as follows :
A)
Health, education, and standard of living
B)
Income, literacy, and absolute poverty
C)
Income, health, and standard of living
D)
Health, income, and education
The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), developed by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) using the Alkire-Foster method, moves beyond income-based measures of poverty. It identifies multiple deprivations at the household and individual level. The MPI is based on three equally weighted dimensions:
1. Health: Measured by indicators such as nutrition and child mortality.
2. Education: Measured by indicators such as years of schooling and school attendance.
3. Standard of Living: Measured by indicators such as cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, floor, and assets.
Options b, c, and d are incorrect because they include 'Income'. The core purpose of the Alkire-Foster MPI is to provide a non-income-based measure of poverty, recognizing that poverty is not just a lack of money but a lack of basic capabilities and services.
In the Mizoram budget 2024-25, the amount of money set aside for the flagship programme of the ZPM government’s ‘Hand-holding Policy/Bana kaih’ is :
A)
₹150 crores
B)
₹200 crores
C)
₹3000 crores
D)
₹500 crores
In the Mizoram State Budget for the financial year 2024-25, the ZPM (Zo People's Movement) government emphasized its flagship 'Hand-holding Policy' (known locally as 'Bana kaih'). This policy is designed to provide financial assistance and guidance to youth and entrepreneurs to foster self-employment and economic independence within the state. The government specifically allocated ₹500 crores for the implementation of this flagship programme to ensure that eligible beneficiaries receive the necessary support to start and sustain their ventures. Options a, b, and c are incorrect as they do not match the specific budgetary allocation announced for this particular scheme in the 2024-25 budget documents.
India is a ________ as per provision in Article 1 of the Constitution of India.
A)
Union State
B)
Federal State
C)
Unitary State
D)
None of these
Step 1: Analyze Article 1 of the Constitution of India. Article 1(1) explicitly states: 'India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.'
Step 2: Evaluate the options based on the constitutional text.
- Option (a) 'Union State' (referring to a Union of States) directly mirrors the language used in Article 1.
- Option (b) 'Federal State': While India has federal features (division of powers between Center and State), the Constitution deliberately uses the term 'Union' instead of 'Federation' to emphasize that the Indian federation is not the result of an agreement by the states and that states have no right to secede from it.
- Option (c) 'Unitary State': India is not a purely unitary state as it shares power with states, although it has a strong centralizing tendency (often described as 'quasi-federal').
Step 3: Conclusion. Since the question specifically asks 'as per provision in Article 1', the literal wording of the Constitution must be followed. Therefore, India is a Union of States.
Which of the following does not have a written constitution?
A)
USA
B)
Egypt
C)
Japan
D)
U.K
The United Kingdom does not have a single codified, written constitution; it has an uncodified constitution based on acts of parliament, court judgments, and conventions.
Who were the masterminds of the Kakori conspiracy in 1925?
A)
Ramprasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan
B)
Ajit Prasad Jain, G.V. Pant
C)
MN Roy, Muzaffar Ahamed
D)
Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai
The Kakori train robbery of August 9, 1925, was planned and executed by Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) revolutionaries led by Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqulla Khan.
Who acts as the President of India when neither the President nor the Vice President is available?
A)
Chief Election Commissioner of India
B)
Chief Justice of India
C)
Auditor General of India
D)
Speaker of the Lok Sabha
As per the President (Discharge of Functions) Act, 1969, the Chief Justice of India acts as the President if both the offices are vacant.
An important pass that links Kerala with Tamil Nadu is :
A)
Thal Ghat
B)
Bhor Ghat
C)
Palghat Gap
D)
Vindhyan Ghat
Palghat Gap (Palakkad Gap) is a major mountain pass across the Western Ghats connecting Palakkad district in Kerala with Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
The largest fishing ground of the world is the :
A)
North West Pacific Region
B)
North West Atlantic Region
C)
North East Atlantic Region
D)
South Western Arctic Region
The North West Pacific fishing region (around Japan, the Kuril Islands, and the Sea of Okhotsk, where the warm Kuroshio and cold Oyashio currents meet) is the world's most productive and largest marine fishing ground.
The sufis used to organize communities around the hospice called :
A)
Pir
B)
Khalifa
C)
Murshid
D)
Khangah
A Khanqah (or Khangah) was a hospice/monastery designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi order, serving as a center for communal living, spiritual retreat, and moral teachings.
The Khilafat movement was launched by :
A)
Asaf Ali and Muhammad Ali Jinnah
B)
Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali
C)
Abbas Ali and Abul Kalam Azad
D)
Badruddin Tyabji and Ashfaqulla Khan
The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) was a pan-Islamic protest launched by Muslims in India to pressure the British government to preserve the authority of the Ottoman Sultan (the Caliph or 'Khalifa') after World War I. The movement was spearheaded by the 'Ali Brothers'—Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali. They sought to protect the Islamic world's spiritual leadership and later collaborated with Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress to merge the movement with the Non-Cooperation Movement to foster Hindu-Muslim unity against British rule.
Analysis of other options:
- Option (a): Asaf Ali was a prominent freedom fighter, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a leader of the Muslim League, but they were not the founders of the Khilafat movement.
- Option (c): Abul Kalam Azad supported the movement, but he was not one of the primary launchers.
- Option (d): Badruddin Tyabji was an early leader of the Indian National Congress (late 19th century), and Ashfaqulla Khan was a revolutionary associated with the Kakori conspiracy, not the founders of this movement.
In Koeppen’s classification of climate, tropical climate is represented by :
A)
B
B)
C
C)
D
D)
A
In Köppen's climate classification system, major climate groups are designated by uppercase letters: 'A' denotes Tropical climates (megathermal), 'B' denotes Dry climates, 'C' denotes Temperate climates, 'D' denotes Continental climates, and 'E' denotes Polar climates.
Consider the following statements and identify the points that are correctly related to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). 1. On 4th April 1949, the foreign ministers from 12 countries signed the North Atlantic Treaty. 2. Finland officially joined NATO on April 2023. 3. Sweden joined NATO on March 2024. 4. The number of NATO member is now 32.
A)
1,2 & 3 only
B)
1,2 & 4 only
C)
1,3 & 4 only
D)
1,2,3 & 4
All four statements are correct: (1) NATO was founded on 4 April 1949 by 12 nations; (2) Finland joined NATO in April 2023; (3) Sweden joined in March 2024; and (4) NATO currently comprises 32 member countries.
Which amongst the following states in India has the lowest percentage of urban population?
A)
Kerala
B)
Chhattisgarh
C)
Rajasthan
D)
Assam
Based on 2011 Census data, among the options provided, Assam has a relatively low percentage of urban population (around 14.1%) compared to Kerala, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan.
The International Day for Biological Diversity falls on :
A)
22nd April
B)
23rd April
C)
22nd May
D)
23rd May
The United Nations proclaimed May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
In 1878 the Famine Commission of India was established under the Chairmanship of :
A)
Sir Richard Strachey
B)
James Lyall
C)
Sir John Woodhead
D)
Anthony MacDonnell
The Famine Commission of 1878 was established under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Strachey.
Consider the following statements regarding the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict. 1. Hama’s surprise attack on the state of Israel was on October 7, 2023. 2. Hamas campaign was dubbed “Operation al-Aqsa Flood”. 3. Israel has declared war on Hamas and launched “Operation Swords of Iron”. 4. In response to both the developments, the government of India launched an operation to retrieve Indians from Israel known as ‘Operation Dost’. Which of the above statements are correct?
A)
1 & 2 only
B)
1,2 & 3 only
C)
1,2 & 4 only
D)
1,2,3 & 4
Statements 1, 2, and 3 are historically correct. Statement 4 is incorrect because the Indian government's evacuation operation to repatriate Indian citizens from Israel was named 'Operation Ajay' (Operation Dost was the humanitarian earthquake relief mission to Turkey and Syria).
The original Constitution of India contained :
A)
395 Articles, eight Schedules and 22 Parts
B)
395 Articles, eight Schedules and 23 Parts
C)
395 Articles, nine Schedules and 21 Parts
D)
None of these
The original Constitution of India (1950) had 395 Articles, 8 Schedules, and 22 Parts.
‘Barbie’ movie released in 2023 made history, becoming the first Billion-Dollar movie directed solely by a woman, and was directed by :
A)
Jane Campion
B)
Sofia Coppola
C)
Kathryn Bigelow
D)
Greta Gerwig
Greta Gerwig directed the 2023 film 'Barbie', which became the first billion-dollar movie directed solely by a woman.
The largest biodiversity area in India is :
A)
North-Eastern region
B)
Deccan Plateau
C)
Southern Peninsula
D)
Western Ghats
India is divided into several biodiversity hotspots. While the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas are both recognized as global biodiversity hotspots, the North-Eastern region (which encompasses the Eastern Himalayas and the Indo-Burma region) is considered the largest biodiversity area in terms of species richness and variety. This region serves as a transition zone between the Palearctic and Indo-Malayan realms, leading to an exceptionally high concentration of endemic species of flora and fauna.
Comparing the options:
- North-Eastern region: Contains the Eastern Himalayas and Indo-Burma hotspots, boasting the highest species diversity in India.
- Deccan Plateau: While ecologically significant, it does not possess the same level of biodiversity or endemism as the North-East.
- Southern Peninsula: Contains diverse ecosystems, but is less diverse than the North-East.
- Western Ghats: This is a major biodiversity hotspot, but in terms of overall area and the sheer variety of species (especially avian and botanical), the North-Eastern region is superior.
The replacement level of total fertility rate in India is :
A)
1.0
B)
2.1
C)
2.5
D)
2.8
The Replacement Level Fertility (RLF) is the total fertility rate (TFR) at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next, without migration.
1. **Definition**: TFR is the average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime.
2. **The Value 2.1**: The value is slightly higher than 2.0 because it accounts for the fact that some children do not survive to reproductive age and the natural sex ratio at birth (slightly more males are born than females).
3. **Global Standard**: A TFR of 2.1 is globally recognized as the replacement level for most human populations.
4. **Indian Context**: According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), India's TFR has actually fallen to 2.0, which is slightly below the replacement level of 2.1, indicating a transition toward population stabilization.
Other options (1.0, 2.5, 2.8) are incorrect because 1.0 would lead to rapid population decline, while 2.5 and 2.8 would lead to continued population growth.
The world’s first conversational AI with emotional intelligence is :
A)
AI Robot
B)
Gemini AI
C)
Hume AI
D)
Humanoid Robot
Hume AI introduced the Empathic Voice Interface (EVI), recognized as the world's first conversational AI with emotional intelligence.