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Past Questions — 2023
Which article provides for a free and compulsory education for all children of six to fourteen years?
A)
Article 19
B)
Article 21-A
C)
Article 29
D)
Article 30
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. Analysis of the requirement: The question asks for the specific Article of the Indian Constitution that guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14 years.
2. Verification of Article 21-A: Article 21-A was inserted into the Constitution by the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002. It explicitly states that 'The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner as the State may, by law, determine.' This led to the enactment of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
3. Evaluation of other options:
- Article 19: Deals with the protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech, expression, assembly, association, movement, residence, and profession.
- Article 29: Protects the interests of minorities regarding the conservation of their distinct language, script, or culture.
- Article 30: Grants minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
Therefore, Article 21-A is the only correct provision for the universal right to education for the specified age group.
Which one is not a Local Self Government?
A)
Panchayati Raj Institution
B)
Municipal Council
C)
Municipal Corporation
D)
Autonomous District Council
While they exercise certain powers of self-governance, Autonomous District Councils under the Sixth Schedule are not typically classified as Local Self Government institutions in the same category as Panchayati Raj or Municipal bodies.
Which of the following is important for speciation?
A)
Seasonal isolation
B)
Reproductive isolation
C)
Behavioral isolation
D)
Temporal isolation
Reproductive isolation prevents gene flow between populations of the same species, allowing evolutionary changes and genetic divergence to accumulate, which is essential for speciation.
The tree on which Mizo warriors hung the decapitated heads of their enemies
A)
Sahlam
B)
Thinglu
C)
Seluphan
D)
Thingsia
In pre-colonial Mizo warrior traditions, 'Sahlam' was the ceremonial tree (such as the famous heritage tree at Chawngtlai) on which the severed heads of defeated enemies were suspended.
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 part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramullah Rail Link project.
The understanding made between the Muslim League and the Indian National Congress in 1916 was the
A)
Khilafat Pact
B)
Lucknow Pact
C)
Lahore Pact
D)
Madras Pact
The Lucknow Pact was an agreement reached between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League at their joint session held in Lucknow in December 1916.
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) established by MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Ltd), business loans are categorized into Shishu (up to ₹50,000), Kishore (₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh), and Tarun (₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh).
The function of mammary glands is regulated by a hormone known as
A)
Oxytocin
B)
Prolactin
C)
Thyroxine
D)
Vasopressin
Prolactin, secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, is the primary hormone regulating mammary gland development and stimulating milk production (lactogenesis).
Inability of clotting of blood is due to the deficiency of
A)
Vitamin A
B)
Vitamin B1
C)
Vitamin D
D)
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is required as a cofactor for the hepatic synthesis of blood clotting factors (factors II, VII, IX, and X); its deficiency causes impaired blood coagulation and prolonged bleeding.
The consequences of World War I for India and the Indian national movement included: 1. Huge increase in defence expenditure funded by war loans and rising taxes. 2. Customs duties were lowered to zero to import cheap British products in India 3. The Rowlatt Act was repealed. 4. The Indian industries were rejuvenated as demand for industrial goods during the WW-I increased. Which of the above statements is/are correct?
A)
1 and 4 only
B)
2, 3 and 4 only
C)
1 and 3 only
D)
1, 2 and 4 only
During WWI, British defence expenditure soared resulting in war loans and increased taxes/customs duties (statement 1). Wartime demand and reduced foreign imports gave a major boost to Indian industries (statement 4). Customs duties were increased (not zeroed), and the Rowlatt Act was enacted in 1919 (not repealed during WWI), so statements 2 and 3 are incorrect.
The tenure of every Panchayat in India is five years from:
A)
the scheduled date of its first meeting
B)
the date of notification of the election
C)
the date of declaration of election results
D)
the date of oath of office by members
According to Article 243E(1) of the Indian Constitution, every Panchayat shall continue for a term of five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer.
HCFCs can be used as refrigerants instead of
A)
CO
B)
Cl2
C)
CFCs
D)
CO
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) were introduced as transitionary replacements for Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) because of their lower ozone-depleting potential.
Minamata incident was caused by
A)
Mercury pollution
B)
Ozone depletion
C)
Acid rain
D)
Nuclear accident
Minamata disease was a severe neurological syndrome caused by industrial pollution in Minamata Bay, Japan, resulting from the discharge of methylmercury into wastewater.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed on
A)
30th April
B)
25th November
C)
10th December
D)
8th March
The United Nations General Assembly designated 25th November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
As per the Human Development Index (HDI), the index value varies between
A)
0 and 1
B)
0 and 5
C)
-5 and +5
D)
0 and 10
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistical measure developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living.
1. **Calculation Method**: The HDI is calculated as the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the three dimensions (Life Expectancy Index, Education Index, and Income Index).
2. **Normalization**: Each dimension is normalized using a formula: (Actual Value - Minimum Value) / (Maximum Value - Minimum Value). This process ensures that the resulting index for each dimension falls between 0 and 1.
3. **Final Value**: Since the final HDI is the geometric mean of these three normalized indices, the resulting value must also fall within the range of 0 to 1.
- Option (b), (c), and (d) are incorrect because the HDI is specifically designed as a ratio/percentage-based index where 0 represents the lowest possible development and 1 represents the highest possible development.
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 the impact of each option on the Ozone Layer (Ozone Depletion Potential - ODP) and the Climate (Global Warming Potential - GWP).
1. **Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs):** These contain chlorine and bromine, which catalyze the destruction of the ozone layer. They also have very high GWP. They are banned under the Montreal Protocol.
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.
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 global warming. They are being phased down under the Kigali Amendment.
4. **Hydrocarbons (HC):** Natural refrigerants like propane (R290) and isobutane (R600a) have zero ODP and extremely low GWP compared to the other options. Because they do not deplete the ozone layer and have a negligible impact on the greenhouse effect, they are considered the most environment-friendly.
Therefore, Hydrocarbons (HC) are the most sustainable choice among the given options.
Which of the following company is the newest in the aviation sector in India?
A)
Vistara
B)
Spice Jet
C)
Akasa Air
D)
Go First
To determine the newest company in the aviation sector, we look at the operational start dates of the listed airlines:
1. SpiceJet: Established in 2005 and began operations shortly after.
2. Go First (formerly GoAir): Established in 2003 and began operations in 2005.
3. Vistara: A joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, it commenced operations in January 2015.
4. Akasa Air: This airline commenced its commercial flight operations in August 2022.
Comparing these dates, Akasa Air is the most recent entrant among the given options.
In which one of the following places is the Shompen tribe found?
A)
Nilgiri Hills
B)
Spiti Valley
C)
Lakshadweep Islands
D)
Nicobar Islands
The Shompen people are an indigenous Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) who inhabit the tropical rainforests of Great Nicobar Island within the Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory.
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 guidelines, a Micro enterprise is defined as an enterprise where investment in plant and machinery or equipment does not exceed Rs. 1 Crore (and annual turnover does not exceed Rs. 5 Crore).
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which proclaimed the 30th March 2023 as
A)
International Day of Education
B)
International Day of Zero Waste
C)
World Mental Health Day
D)
International Day of Persons with Disability
The UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 77/161 proclaiming 30 March as the International Day of Zero Waste, observed annually starting on 30 March 2023 to promote sustainable consumption and waste reduction.
As per the National Education Policy-2020, mother tongue/ regional language is to be the medium of teaching up to
A)
at least Grade/Class -V
B)
at least Grade/Class -VI
C)
at least Grade/Class -VII
D)
at least Grade/Class -VIII
Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the medium of instruction is to be the home language/mother tongue/regional language until at least Grade 5.
Deccan Traps are largely made of
A)
Flow of basalt
B)
River deposit
C)
Limestone
D)
Lava flow alternating with sedimentary deposits
The Deccan Traps are a massive volcanic flood basalt formation in India created by multiple layers of solidified basaltic lava flows.
Who was popularly known as the Indian Napoleon?
A)
Chandragupta Maurya
B)
Shivaji
C)
Prithviraj Chauhan
D)
Samudragupta
Historian Vincent Smith called the Gupta Emperor Samudragupta the 'Indian Napoleon' on account of his undefeated military campaigns and vast empire.
Give an account of the process and hormonal regulation of spermatogenesis in mammals with suitable diagram.
Elaborate with diagrams on the different modes of locomotion in Protozoa with respect to different locomotor organelles and cite suitable examples.