← MCSCCE
Past Questions
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.
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
Following the merger of NSSO and CSO under MoSPI in 2019, the National Statistical Office (NSO) conducts the large-scale Household Consumption Expenditure Surveys used to derive official poverty estimates in India.
A tropical cyclone occurring around the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico is called?
A)
Typhoon
B)
Willy-Willy
C)
Hurricane
D)
Tornado
Tropical cyclones occurring in the North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico are officially designated as Hurricanes.
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), calculated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is a normalized composite index with values ranging between 0 (lowest development) and 1 (highest development).
A bison’s horn used by Mizo hunters for carrying gun-powder
A)
Fungki
B)
Piallung
C)
Haite
D)
Tawngkawla
In Mizo culture, the 'Fungki' is the traditional horn (typically made from a bison or mithun) used by hunters to store and carry gunpowder.
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.
The most environment-friendly refrigerants are
A)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
B)
Hydrocarbons (HC)
C)
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
D)
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
Hydrocarbons (such as isobutane and propane) have zero ozone depletion potential (ODP = 0) and minimal global warming potential (GWP < 3), making them the most environmentally friendly refrigerants among the choices.
Arrange the following traditional Mizo weaving craft in the correct order
A)
Herawt, la sai, chawn, hmui, ladinlek, suvel
B)
Herawt, chawn, la sai, ladinlek, hmui, suvel
C)
Herawt, la sai, chawn, ladinlek, hmui, suvel
D)
Herawt, chawn, la sai, hmui, ladinlek, suvel
In traditional Mizo cotton processing and spinning craft, the tools are utilized in the following chronological sequence: Herawt (ginning seeds) -> La sai (fluffing with bow) -> Chawn (bamboo container/sliver) -> Hmui (spinning wheel/spindle) -> Ladinlek (winding skeins) -> Suvel (winding skeins into balls of yarn).
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.
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.
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', a pocket-sized point-of-sale device utilizing 'PIN on Mobile' technology to enable card payments on smartphones.
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 programmes offered by Indian higher education institutions secured positions in the global top 100.
Which Seaport is located in the eastern side of the Gulf of Kutch?
A)
Mumbai
B)
Goa
C)
Kandla
D)
Dwarka
Kandla Port (Deendayal Port) is located in the Kutch District of Gujarat at the eastern end (head) of the Gulf of Kutch.
The isotope of carbon used in radiocarbon dating is
A)
C-12
B)
C-13
C)
C-14
D)
C-15
Carbon-14 (C-14) is the unstable radioactive isotope of carbon used in radiocarbon dating to determine the age of organic carbon-bearing materials up to roughly 50,000 years.
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 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 temperature and pressure allow hydrogen nuclei (protons) to overcome their electrostatic repulsion and fuse together to form helium nuclei. This process, primarily occurring via the proton-proton chain reaction, converts a small amount of mass into a massive 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 splitting of a heavy nucleus (like Uranium-235) into smaller nuclei. This occurs in nuclear power plants, not as the primary energy source of stars.
- d. Radioactive decay: This is the spontaneous breakdown of an unstable nucleus into a more stable one, usually emitting radiation. While it happens in the universe, it is not the process that produces helium from hydrogen in the Sun.
Which of the following is not included in the National Food Security Mission?
A)
Oilseeds
B)
Wheat
C)
Rice
D)
Pulses
The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) was launched by the Government of India in 2007 to increase the production of food grains to ensure national food security. The primary focus of the NFSM is on crops that are critical for food security.
1. Rice (Option c) and Wheat (Option b) were the initial and primary focus crops of the NFSM to ensure the availability of staple cereals.
2. Pulses (Option d) were later integrated into the mission (NFSM-Pulses) to address the protein deficiency and reduce import dependency.
3. Oilseeds (Option a) are managed under a separate specialized mission called the National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) or previously under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and other specific oilseed schemes, but they are not part of the core 'National Food Security Mission' (NFSM) framework, which specifically targets food grains and pulses. Therefore, Oilseeds is the correct answer as it is not included in the NFSM.
Which of the following greenhouse gases has the highest atmospheric lifetime?
A)
CO2
B)
N2O
C)
CH4
D)
CF4
Perfluorocarbons like CF4 (Carbon tetrafluoride) have exceptionally long atmospheric lifetimes.
Grants to the Autonomous Tribal Areas are provided by the:
A)
Article 272
B)
Article 274
C)
Article 275 (1)
D)
Article 280
Article 275(1) of the Indian Constitution provides for grants-in-aid to states for specific purposes, including the welfare of scheduled tribes and development of scheduled areas.
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.
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.
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.
Which among the following is the oldest Veda?
A)
Sama Veda
B)
Yajur Veda
C)
Rig Veda
D)
Atharva Veda
The Rig Veda is the oldest of the four Vedas.
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 ethno-astronomy, 'Khiangte zawng zim' is the indigenous name for the constellation Taurus.
The Environment (Protection) Act was enacted in
A)
1952
B)
1972
C)
1986
D)
1991
The Environment (Protection) Act was enacted by the Parliament of India in 1986. It was passed under Article 253 of the Indian Constitution to implement the decisions taken at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in 1972. The act was specifically designed as an 'umbrella' legislation to provide a framework for the coordination of various central and state authorities established under previous laws, such as the Water Act and the Air Act, and was heavily influenced by the tragedy of the Bhopal Gas Leak (1984).
Analysis of other options:
- Option (a) 1952: This is not associated with a major national environmental act in India.
- Option (b) 1972: This is the year the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was enacted.
- Option (d) 1991: This year is associated with economic reforms in India, not the enactment of the Environment (Protection) Act.