UPSC Civil Services Prelims — 2015

Who of the following was/were economic critic/critics of colonialism in India? 1. Dadabhai Naoroji 2. Subramania Iyer 3. C. Dutt Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

The Government of India Act of 1919 clearly defined:

Which one of the following movements has contributed to a split in the Indian National Congress resulting in the emergence of ‘moderates’ and ‘extremists’?

With reference to Rowlatt Satyagraha, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The Rowlatt Act was based on the recommendations of the ‘Sedition Committee’. 2. In Rowlatt Satyagraha, Gandhiji tried to utilise the Home Rule League. 3. Demonstrations against the arrival of the Simon Commission coincided with Rowlatt Satyagraha. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

With reference to Congress Socialist Party, consider the following statements: 1. It advocated the boycott of British goods and evasion of taxes. 2. It wanted to establish the dictatorship of the proletariat. 3. It advocated separate electorate for minorities and oppressed classes. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Who of the following organised a march on the Tanjore coast to break the Salt Law in April 1930?

With reference to the Cabinet Mission, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It recommended a federal government. 2. It enlarged the powers of the Indian courts. 3. It provided for more Indians in the ICS. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Consider the following statements: 1. The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was Sarojini Naidu. 2. The first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress was Badruddin Tyabji. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

When the Reserve Bank of India reduces the Statutory Liquidity Ratio by 50 basis points, which of the following is likely to happen?

With reference to ‘Bank Board Bureau (BBB)’, which of the following statements are correct? 1. BBB recommends for the selection of heads of Public Sector Banks. 2. BBB helps Public Sector Banks in developing strategies and capital raising plans. 3. BBB is a constitutional body. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which one of the following best describes the term ‘Merchant Discount Rate’ in digital transactions?

In the context of India, which of the following can be considered as components of household savings? 1. Money held in savings accounts 2. Shares and debentures 3. Houses owned by households Select the correct answer using the code given below:

What is the main objective of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana’?

Which one of the following best describes the term ‘Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR)’?

Which of the following are included in India’s foreign exchange reserves? 1. Foreign currency assets 2. Gold holdings 3. Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) 4. Reserve Tranche Position in the IMF Select the correct answer using the code given below:

In India, ‘Commercial Paper’ is

The Government of India Act of 1919 clearly defined

Which one of the following best describes the term ‘Secular’ as used in the Preamble to the Constitution of India?

Which of the following are the discretionary powers given to the Governor of a State? 1. Sending a report to the President of India for imposing the President’s Rule 2. Appointing the Ministers 3. Reserving certain bills passed by the State Legislature for consideration of the President of India 4. Making the rules to conduct the business of the State Government Select the correct answer using the code given below:

The provisions in Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule in the Constitution of India are made in order to

The ideal of ‘Welfare State’ in the Indian Constitution is enshrined in its

Which one of the following Schedules of the Constitution of India contains provisions regarding anti-defection?

In India, the Cabinet is responsible to

Which of the following is/are among the Fundamental Duties of citizens laid down in the Indian Constitution? 1. To preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture 2. To protect and improve the natural environment 3. To develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform Select the correct answer using the code given below:

In the South Atlantic and South-Eastern Pacific regions in tropical latitudes, cyclone does not occur. What is the reason?

Consider the following statements: 1. The winds which blow between 30°N and 60°S latitudes throughout the year are known as westerlies. 2. The moist air masses that cause winter rains in North-Western region of India are part of westerlies. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

“Each day is more or less the same, the morning is clear and bright with a sea breeze; as the Sun climbs high in the sky, heat mounts up, dark clouds form, then rain comes with thunder and lightning. But the rain is soon over.” Which of the following regions is described in the above passage?

What explains the eastward flow of the equatorial counter current?

Tides occur in the oceans and seas due to which among the following? 1. Gravitational force of the Sun 2. Gravitational force of the Moon 3. Centrifugal force of the Earth Select the correct answer using the code given below.

In India, the steel production industry requires the import of:

In India, in which one of the following types of forests is teak a dominant tree species?

Consider the following rivers: 1. Vamsadhara 2. Indravati 3. Pranahita 4. Pennar Which of the above are tributaries of Godavari?

In a particular region in India, the local people train the roots of living trees into robust bridges across streams. As time passes, these bridges become stronger. These unique ‘living root bridges’ are found in

Consider the following States: 1. Arunachal Pradesh 2. Himachal Pradesh 3. Mizoram In which of the above States do ‘Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests’ occur?

Which one of the following regions of India has a combination of mangrove forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest?

Which one of the following pairs of States of India indicates the easternmost and westernmost State?

Consider the following pairs: Place of Pilgrimage — Location 1. Srisailam — Nallamala Hills 2. Omkareshwar — Satmala Hills 3. Pushkar — Mahadeo Hills Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Which one of the following countries of South-West Asia does not open out to the Mediterranean Sea?

With reference to ‘Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology’, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is a contactless communication technology that uses electromagnetic radio fields. 2. NFC is designed for use by devices which can be at a distance of even a metre from each other. 3. NFC can use encryption when sending sensitive information. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

With reference to the use of nanotechnology in the health sector, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Targeted drug delivery is made possible by nanotechnology. 2. Nanotechnology can largely contribute to gene therapy. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about ‘IceCube’, a particle detector located at South Pole, which was recently in the news: 1. It is the world’s largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometer of ice. 2. It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter. 3. It is buried deep in the ice. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The term ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is often seen in the news in the context of

With reference to ‘fly ash’ produced by the power plants using coal as fuel, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Fly ash can be used in the production of bricks for building construction. 2. Fly ash can be used as a replacement for some of the Portland cement contents of concrete. 3. Fly ash is made up of silicon dioxide and calcium oxide only, and does not contain any toxic elements. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Which one of the following is the best description of the term ‘ecosystem’?

What can be the impact of excessive/inappropriate use of nitrogenous fertilizers in agriculture? 1. Proliferation of nitrogen fixing microorganisms in soil can occur. 2. Increase in the acidity of soil can take place. 3. Leaching of nitrate to the groundwater can occur.

Which one of the following is associated with the issue of control and phasing out of the use of ozone-depleting substances?

What is the Rio+20 Conference, often mentioned in the news?

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee is constituted under the

With reference to an organisation known as ‘BirdLife International’, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is a Global Partnership of Conservation. 2. The concept of ‘biodiversity hotspots’ originated from this organisation. 3. It identifies the sites known/referred to as ‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas’.

With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resource (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments. 2. IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments. 3. CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws.

Which of the following statements regarding ‘Green Climate Fund’ is/are correct? 1. It is intended to assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change. 2. It is founded under the aegis of UNEP, OECD, Asian Development Bank and World Bank.

Which of the following National Parks is unique in being a swamp with floating vegetation that supports a rich biodiversity?

Which one of the following National Parks has a climate that varies from tropical to subtropical, temperate and arctic?

With reference to ‘dugong’, a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is a herbivorous marine animal. 2. It is found along the entire coast of India. 3. It is given legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Which one of the following is the national aquatic animal of India?