← MCSCCE
Past Questions
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
According to the revised MSME classification (effective from July 2020), a micro enterprise is one where investment in plant and machinery or equipment does not exceed Rs. 1 crore and annual turnover does not exceed Rs. 5 crore. However, in many older exam papers context (and considering the options provided), Rs. 50 Lakh (or previous definition of 25 Lakh) is often tested. Given the provided options and standard competitive exam updates, the best choice fitting the spirit of the question's era is often Rs. 50 Lakh or 25 Lakh. Based on current standard knowledge, micro enterprise threshold is 1 Crore. Since 1 Crore is an option, it may be the intended answer in updated exams. Let's select 'Rs. 1 Crore' (option c) if referring to current norms, or follow the older 25 lakh if from 2023. Given '2023' in the exam text, 1 Crore is the correct current limit.
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 signed in December 1916 between the Indian National Congress (INC) and the All-India Muslim League. It was a landmark event in the Indian independence movement as it marked a period of temporary unity between the two major political entities. The pact was facilitated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Under this agreement, the Congress accepted the League's demand for separate electorates for Muslims in return for the League's support for the Congress's demand for self-government (Home Rule) from the British.
Why other options are incorrect:
- a. Khilafat Pact: The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) was a campaign to protect the Ottoman Caliphate; while it led to cooperation between Gandhi and the Muslims, it was not a formal 'pact' signed in 1916.
- c. Lahore Pact: This usually refers to the 1940 Lahore Resolution (Pakistan Resolution), which called for the creation of independent states for Muslims, rather than an understanding with the Congress.
- d. Madras Pact: There is no historically significant 'Madras Pact' of 1916 between the Congress and the Muslim League.
Which city has hosted 2023 Hero Tri-Nation International Football Tournament?
A)
Kolkata
B)
Kochi
C)
Itanagar
D)
Imphal
The 2023 Hero Tri-Nation International Football Tournament was hosted in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. The tournament took place in March 2023 at the Itanagar Stadium. It featured three national teams: India, Poland, and Oman. India emerged as the winners of the tournament.
- Option (a) Kolkata: While a major hub for football in India (home to Salt Lake Stadium), it did not host this specific tri-nation event.
- Option (b) Kochi: Known for hosting various sporting events, but not the venue for this tournament.
- Option (d) Imphal: A significant football center in the Northeast, but the 2023 Hero Tri-Nation event was specifically organized in Itanagar to promote football in Arunachal Pradesh.
At present, which of the following offices/organizations compile Poverty Estimates in India under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
A)
National Statistical Office
B)
National Sample Survey Office
C)
Finance Ministry
D)
Central Statistical Organization
The National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation is responsible for poverty estimation.
On an average the temperature decreases with altitude at the rate of:
A)
5°C per 1000 meters
B)
5.5°C per 1000 meters
C)
6°C per 1000 meters
D)
6.5°C per 1000 meters
The normal lapse rate, which is the average rate at which atmospheric temperature decreases with an increase in altitude, is approximately 6.5°C per 1000 meters.
Minamata incident was caused by
A)
Mercury pollution
B)
Ozone depletion
C)
Acid rain
D)
Nuclear accident
The Minamata disease was caused by severe mercury poisoning.
India is an example of __________ state.
A)
Federal
B)
Unitary
C)
Quasi-Federal
D)
Quasi-Unit
Because the Indian Constitution blends federal structure with strong unitary features, constitutional scholars such as K.C. Wheare characterized India as a 'Quasi-Federal' state.
Which Seaport is located in the eastern side of the Gulf of Kutch?
A)
Mumbai
B)
Goa
C)
Kandla
D)
Dwarka
The Deendayal Port, formerly known as Kandla Port, is a major seaport located on the eastern side of the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat.
What is the name of the NASA spacecraft launched on April 14, 2023?
A)
Ganymede
B)
Callisto
C)
Juice
D)
Europa
The spacecraft launched on April 14, 2023, is JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer). It is important to note that while the question attributes the launch to NASA, JUICE is actually a mission led by the European Space Agency (ESA), though it involves international cooperation. The mission's primary goal is to study Jupiter and its three large ocean-bearing moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa.
Analysis of options:
- a. Ganymede: This is one of the moons JUICE is designed to study (and will eventually orbit), not the name of the spacecraft.
- b. Callisto: This is another moon of Jupiter that JUICE will investigate.
- d. Europa: This is the third major moon JUICE will study. (Note: NASA has a separate mission called 'Europa Clipper' specifically for this moon).
- c. Juice: This is the correct name of the spacecraft launched on April 14, 2023.
Which among the following is the oldest Veda?
A)
Sama Veda
B)
Yajur Veda
C)
Rig Veda
D)
Atharva Veda
The Rig Veda is widely recognized by historians and linguists as the oldest of the four Vedas and one of the oldest existing texts in any Indo-European language. It was composed roughly between 1500 BCE and 1200 BCE. It consists of 1,028 hymns (suktas) organized into ten books (mandalas) dedicated to various deities.
Comparison with other options:
- Sama Veda: This is a collection of melodies and chants, largely derived from the Rig Veda, intended to be sung during sacrifices. It post-dates the Rig Veda.
- Yajur Veda: This contains the ritual formulas and mantras used by priests during the performance of sacrifices. It was compiled after the Rig Veda.
- Atharva Veda: This is the youngest of the four Vedas, containing spells, charms, and magical formulas for healing and protection, reflecting a later stage of Vedic society.
HCFCs can be used as refrigerants instead of
A)
CO2
B)
Cl
C)
CFCs
D)
CO
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) were introduced as transitionary replacements for Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) because of their comparatively lower ozone depletion potential (ODP).
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 World War I, defense expenditure surged leading to heavy taxes and war loans (statement 1), while Indian industries grew rapidly to meet war supply demands (statement 4). Customs duties were raised rather than lowered to zero, and the Rowlatt Act was enacted rather than repealed.
Atacama desert in Chile is famous for
A)
Corundum
B)
Copper
C)
Aluminium
D)
Diamond
The Atacama Desert in Chile is world-renowned for its vast copper deposits, hosting some of the largest copper mines globally.
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
Article 21-A of the Indian Constitution provides for the right to free and compulsory education for all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years.
Which of the following banks has recently launched India’s first pocket-sized swipe machine for accepting digital payments called “MicroPay”?
A)
Axis Bank
B)
State Bank of India
C)
HDFC
D)
United Bank of India
Axis Bank launched 'MicroPay', which is India's first pocket-sized swipe machine designed specifically for small merchants and micro-entrepreneurs to accept digital payments. This device is a compact Point of Sale (PoS) terminal that allows merchants to accept card payments without needing bulky hardware, thereby promoting digitalization in the retail sector.
- Option b (State Bank of India), Option c (HDFC), and Option d (United Bank of India) are incorrect as they did not launch the specific 'MicroPay' product described in the question.
Harshacharita was authored by:
A)
Harshavardhana
B)
Kalidasa
C)
Bana Bhatta
D)
Harishena
The Harshacharita is the Sanskrit biography of King Harshavardhana, written by his court poet Banabhatta in the 7th century CE.
‘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 (Moho) is the boundary layer separating the Earth's crust from the underlying mantle.
Increase in concentration of a toxicant at successive trophic level is called
A)
Bio-magnification
B)
Succession
C)
Eutrophication
D)
Biotransformation
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. **Analysis of the Question**: The question asks for the term describing the increase in the concentration of a toxicant (such as heavy metals or pesticides) as it moves up the food chain from one trophic level to the next.
2. **Evaluating Option (a) Bio-magnification**: Bio-magnification (or biomagnification) occurs when persistent, fat-soluble toxins are ingested by organisms. Because these toxins are not easily metabolized or excreted, they accumulate in the tissues. When a predator eats many prey items, it consumes all the toxins stored in those prey, leading to a higher concentration of the toxicant at each successive trophic level. This is the correct definition.
3. **Evaluating Option (b) Succession**: Ecological succession is the process by which the structure of a biological community evolves over time (e.g., primary or secondary succession). It is unrelated to toxicant concentration.
4. **Evaluating Option (c) Eutrophication**: Eutrophication is the process where a body of water becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus), leading to excessive growth of algae and depletion of oxygen. It is a water quality issue, not a trophic level concentration process.
5. **Evaluating Option (d) Biotransformation**: Biotransformation is the chemical modification made by an organism on a chemical compound (usually via enzymes in the liver) to make it easier to excrete. This is the opposite of magnification, as it often helps the body remove toxins.
Which one of the pairs given below is/are correctly matched? 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 Lake is in Odisha (1 is correct); Pulicat Lake is located on the Andhra Pradesh–Tamil Nadu border (2 is correct); Wular Lake is in Jammu and Kashmir (4 is correct). Sambhar Lake is located in Rajasthan, not Gujarat (3 is incorrect). Thus, 1, 2, and 4 are correctly matched.
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 (the right to collect revenues) of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa were granted to the East India Company by the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II in 1765. This grant was a direct consequence of the Company's victory in the Battle of Buxar (1764), where the combined forces of Mir Qasim (Nawab of Bengal), Shuja-ud-Daulah (Nawab of Awadh), and Shah Alam II (Mughal Emperor) were defeated. The subsequent Treaty of Allahabad (1765) formalized this arrangement.
Why other options are incorrect:
- a. Third Battle of Panipat (1761): This was fought between the Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali; it did not involve the East India Company's acquisition of Diwani rights.
- b. Battle of Plassey (1757): While this battle established the Company's political influence in Bengal and made Mir Jafar the Nawab, it did not grant the legal Diwani rights to the Company.
- d. Battle of Wandiwash (1760): This was a decisive victory for the British over the French in India, focusing on European rivalry rather than administrative rights over Indian provinces.
The biggest role in Integrating the Princely States into the Indian Union was played by
A)
Jawaharlal Nehru
B)
Rajagopalachari
C)
Mountbatten
D)
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
As India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel led the historic integration of over 560 princely states into the Indian Union.
Who proposed the 10% law of energy flow in ecosystems?
A)
Lindeman
B)
Carl Mobius
C)
Tansley
D)
Darwin
Raymond Lindeman formulated the 'Ten Percent Law' of trophic efficiency in 1942, demonstrating that roughly 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
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
Akasa Air, launched in 2022, is the newest major aviation company among the listed options.
Scholars suggested that the Great Bath in Mohenjodaro was meant for:
A)
Ritual bath
B)
Family bath
C)
Diving competition
D)
Steam bath
The Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro is one of the most famous structures of the Indus Valley Civilization. It is a large, rectangular tank made of baked bricks and sealed with a layer of bitumen (natural tar) to make it watertight. Because of its central location in the 'Citadel' area, its sophisticated construction, and the presence of changing rooms around it, historians and archaeologists (such as Sir Mortimer Wheeler) suggest that it was not used for ordinary daily bathing, but for special religious or ritualistic purification ceremonies.
Why other options are incorrect:
- b. Family bath: The scale and location of the structure are too grand and public for a private family bath.
- c. Diving competition: There is no archaeological or textual evidence to suggest that the Indus people engaged in organized diving sports.
- d. Steam bath: While the civilization had advanced drainage and bathing systems, the Great Bath was an open-air tank, not an enclosed chamber designed for steam generation.
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
Global 200 is the list of ecoregions identified by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as priorities for conservation.