Civils Prelims 2021 Model Set 19 (for GS Paper )

Set No. 19 (Prepared on 4.9.2021 )

Civils Prelims 2021 Model Questions (for GS Paper )

Set No. 19 (Prepared on 4.9.2021 )

Prepared by :P.Potayya Sarma

Mobile No.8143189271

1)Consider following with reference to Electronic Media :

1) TRP : (target rating points)

2) TAM :(Television Audience Measurement)

3) INTAM : (Indian National Television Audience Measurement)

4) BARC : (Broadcast Audience Research Council)

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

2)Consider following with reference to the military confrontation between Armenia and Azerbaijan :

1) The military confrontation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the gravest since a fragile ceasefire was established in 1994, reflects the failure of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

2) Co-chaired by Russia, France and the U.S., the Minsk Group put forward in 2007 the Madrid Principles as the basis for the formulation of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan..

3) Drawn from the 1975 Helsinki Final Act principles, signed at the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, they provided for a prohibition on the use of force, respect for territorial integrity, and recognition of the equal right to self-determination

4) In concrete terms, the Madrid Principles envisaged the demilitarisation of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian majority region that seceded from Azerbaijan towards the end of the Soviet Union, and the gradual liberation of Azerbaijani territory that Armenia had occupied in the 1991-94 war.

5) Located in the main corridor of oil and gas supplies to Europe, Armenia and Azerbaijan have also relied on a nationalist rhetoric and fuelled the dispute through relentless propaganda against each other.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

3)Consider following with reference to Deepar Beel , Assam :

Deepar Beel is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Assam and the State’s only Ramsar Site, besides being an Important Bird Area.

The wetlands have for decades been threatened by a railway track — set to be doubled and electrified — on its southern rim, a garbage dump and encroachment for human habitation and commercial units.

The wetlands expand up to 30 sq. km in summer and reduces to about 10 sq. km in winter. The wildlife sanctuary measures 4.1 sq. km within this wetland.

2) On August 25, 2021 the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the eco-sensitive zone of Deepar Beel Wildlife Sanctuary on the southwestern edge of Guwahati

The notification specified an area “to an extent varying from 294 metres to 16.32 km” as the eco-sensitive zone with the total area being 148.9767 sq. km.

3). Deepar Beel’s water has become toxic and lost many of its aquatic plants that elephants would feed on. The wetlands can breathe easier only if the railway track is diverted,”

4) “No new commercial hotels and resorts shall be permitted within 1 km of the boundary of the protected area or up to the extent of the eco-sensitive zone, whichever is nearer, except for small temporary structures for eco-tourism activities. Among activities prohibited in the eco-sensitive zone are hydroelectric projects, brick kilns, commercial use of firewood and discharge of untreated effluents in natural water bodies or land areas.

5) Deepar Beel has long been used as a sponge for Guwahati’s sewage via a couple of streams. The wetlands have also suffered from seepage of toxins from a garbage dump at Boragaon adjoining it. “ About 150 species of birds have been recorded in the sanctuary, out of which two are critically endangered, one endangered, five vulnerable and four near-threatened,” the notification said.

6) “Elephants regularly visit the wetlands from adjoining Rani and Garhbhanda Reserve Forest and the wetlands are an integral part of the elephant habitat. Besides these, 12 species of reptiles, 50 species of fish, six species of amphibians along with 155 species of aquatic macro-biota have been recorded in the sanctuary,”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

4)Consider following with reference to Mekadatu Project and its problems posed by Tamil Nadu :

1) The planning of the Mekedatu project by Karnataka with a capacity of 67.16 TMC ft. and generation of 400 MW project worth ₹9,000 crore was in “gross violation” of the decision of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal of February 5, 2007,

2) The proposed reservoir would result in the impounding of the flows generated in the Cauvery river from the uncontrolled catchment of the Kabini sub-basin downstream of the Kabini reservoir, the catchment of Cauvery river downstream of KRS dam, uncontrolled flows from Shimsha, Arkavathy and Suvarnavathy sub-basins and various other small streams, which are the sources to ensure 177.25TMC at Billigundlu,

3) The proposed construction of the reservoir by Karnataka would have a “cascading effect” on the daily and monthly inflows during the crucial months of June to September,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

5)Consider following with reference to m-sand or rushed stone sand :

1) Quality m-sand or crushed stone sand, is used as an alternative to river sand in construction work.

2) Nearly 358 manufacturing units (in Tamil Nadu) had been certified for m-sand quality based on the tests and regulations of the required machinery.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

6)Consider following with reference to Edakkal Caves in Kerala :

1) Edakkal caves on the Ambukuthi hills in Kerala’s Wayanad district, a treasure trove for archaeologists, historians, and researchers, is facing threats from illegal trekking, illegal constructions, mining, and urbanisation.

2) The State government banned trekking on the hills on October 1, 2009, after it was found that the activity was affecting the Neolithic petroglyphs (rock engravings) on the walls of Edakkal caves.

3) Around 5.5 acres near the caves is protected and construction is banned on the 300-m radius of the premises.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

7)Consider following with reference to Asset Monetisation Programme :

1) The Government has announced an ambitious programme of asset monetisation. It hopes to earn ₹6 trillion in revenues over a four-year period. At a time when the Government’s finances are in bad shape, that is money the Government can certainly use. Getting asset monetisation right is quite a challenge, though.

2) In asset monetisation, the Government parts with its assets — such as roads, coal mines — for a specified period of time in exchange for a lump sum payment. At the end of the period, the assets return to the Government. Unlike in privatisation, no sale of government assets is involved.

3) By monetising assets it has already built, the Government can earn revenues to build more infrastructure. Asset monetisation will happen mainly in three sectors: roads, railways and power. Other assets to be monetised include: airports, ports, telecom, stadiums and power transmission

4) Two important statements have been made about the asset monetisation programme. One, the focus will be on under-utilised assets. Two, monetisation will happen through public-private partnerships (PPP) and Investment Trusts. Let us examine each of these in turn.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

8)Consider following with reference to Supreme Court of India :

1) The strength of the Bench goes up to 33, in a court that has a sanctioned complement of 34 judges.

2) The presence of three women and the fact that different High Courts are getting

3) representation are positive features and augur well for increasing diversity on the Bench. In particular, Justice B.V. Nagarathna’s elevation at this point of time means that she may become the first woman Chief Justice of India (CJI

4) ). The trend of appointing members of the Bar directly to the Supreme Court continues with the honour going this time to former Additional Solicitor-General, P.S. Narasimha, who is also in line to be Chief Justice by efflux of time.

5) The NITI Aayog, which has steered the NMP, has emphasised the importance of expanding the investor base and scale of monetisation instruments such as InvITs and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), and flagged concerns about regulators taking varying stances on such investments.

6) The Government estimates these assets — airports, coal mines, highway stretches, even urban tracts, stadia and hotels — to fetch around ₹5.96-lakh crore through structured leasing and securitisation transactions. This, in turn, could help fund the National Infrastructure Pipeline with new projects worth ₹100-lakh crore, although the Government has said fiscal constraints are not the trigger for this plan.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

9)Consider following with reference to NGC7733 and NGC7734 :

1) A team was observing the merging of two galaxies — NGC7733 and NGC7734 — in the earth’s celestial neighbourhood when they detected unusual emissions from the centre of the latter and a curious movement of a large bright clump within it, having a different velocity than that of NGC7733. Inferring that this was a separate galaxy, the scientists named it NGC7733N.

2) All three merging black holes were part of galaxies in the Toucan constellation. They are quite far away given that the earth’s nearest galactic neighbour — the Andromeda galaxy — is 2.5 million light years away

3) The distance between the black holes decreases with time until the separation is around one parsec (3.26 light-years).

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

10)Consider following with reference to Tora Bora caves :

1) Tora Bora is a cave complex, part of the Safed Koh mountain range of eastern Afghanistan.

2) It is situated in the Pachir Aw Agam District of Nangarhar, approximately 50 km (31 mi) west of the Khyber Pass and 10 km (6.2 mi) north of the border of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan.

3) Tora Bora was known to be a stronghold location of the Taliban, used by military forces against the Soviet Union during the 1980s.

4)Tora Bora and the surrounding Safed Koh range had natural caverns formed by streams eating into the limestone,^[1] that had later been expanded into a CIA-financed complex built for the Mujahideen.

5) Tora-Bora’s deep tunnel system was where al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden had initially taken refuge from US retaliatory strikes following the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

11)Consider following with reference to Cauvery-Agniyar-South Vellar-Manimuthar-Vaigai-Gundar link canal scheme. (Tamil Nadu) :

1) The foundation stone for the first phase of the Cauvery-Agniyar-South Vellar-Manimuthar-Vaigai-Gundar link canal scheme. Currently, the first phase is being executed using the State’s funds as the previous AIADMK regime had sanctioned around ₹330 crore.

2) The proposed canal, beginning from the Kattalai barrage (about 138 km downstream of the Mettur dam) in Karur district, will connect the rivers from the Cauvery to the Gundar over a length of 262 km. It is estimated to cost about ₹6,941 crore.

The proposed canal, beginning from the Kattalai barrage (about 138 km downstream of the Mettur dam) in Karur district, will connect the rivers from the Cauvery to the Gundar over a length of 262 km. It is estimated to cost about ₹6,941 crore.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

12)Consider following with reference to Elephans migration between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu :

1) Elephants migrate between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu via Hosur from October to February every year.

2) If the Hosur police and forest officials manage to break the illegal gun network’s back, the jumbos can migrate in peace.

3) Hosur area comes under Eastern Ghats

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

13)Consider following with reference to history of hydel projects in the Himalayas :

In the aftermath of the Kedarnath floods of 2013 that killed at least 5,000 people, the Supreme Court had halted the development of hydroelectric projects in Uttarakhand pending a review by the Environment Ministry on the role such projects had played in amplifying the disaster.

512 MW Tapovan Vishnugadh project, in Joshimath, Uttarakhand that was damaged by a flood in February,2021

1) A 17-member expert committee, led by environmentalist Ravi Chopra, was set up by the Ministry to examine the role of 24 such proposed hydroelectric projects in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basin, which has the Ganga and several tributaries. The Chopra committee concluded that 23 projects would have an “irreversible impact” on the ecology of the region.

2) Following the break in the Raunthi glacier that triggered floods in the Rishiganga river in Uttarakhand on February 7,2021 which washed away at least two hydroelectric power projects — the13.2 MW Rishiganga hydroelectric power project and the Tapovan project, environmental experts have attributed the glacial melt to global warming.

3) Glacier retreat and permafrost thaw are projected to decrease the stability of mountain slopes and increase the number and area of glacier lakes. Moreover, with increased instances of cloudbursts, and intense spells of rainfall and avalanches, residents of the region were also placed at increased risk of loss of lives and livelihood.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

14)Consider following :

ZyCoV-D is the world’s first plasmid DNA vaccine for human use. DNA, or Deoxyribonucleic Acid, contains the genetic code of various components of an organism

1) For the vaccine, the part of the COVID-19 virus that helps it enter the cell and causes disease is coded. When the vaccine is injected into the human body, it produces that particular part of the virus and stimulates the immune system to generate antibodies and T-cells immunity against the virus.

2) This DNA piece is enclosed by a membrane called plasmid, and it disintegrates after it has completed its action. This DNA is a laboratory-made structure and is unable to interfere with the genetic composition of humans.

3)The mRNA vaccines are also made with the same principle. These again are laboratory-made structures and not obtained from the actual virus.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

15)Consider following with reference to BCG Vaccine :

1) BCG was developed by two Frenchmen, Albert Calmette and Camille Guerin, by modifying a strain of Mycobacterium bovis (that causes TB in cattle) till it lost its capacity to cause disease while retaining its property to stimulate the immune system. It was first used in humans in 1921.

2) BCG also protects against respiratory and bacterial infections of the newborns, and other mycobacterial diseases like leprosy and Buruli’s ulcer. It is also used as an immunotherapy agent in cancer of the urinary bladder and malignant melanoma.

3) In India, BCG was first introduced in a limited scale in 1948 and became a part of the National TB Control Programme in 1962.

4) India is committed to eliminate TB as a public health problem by 2025

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

16)Consider following with reference to NMP :

Union Finance Minister in August,2021 announced the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP), which is expected to fetch around ₹5.96 lakh crore to the government. Following through on the Budget’s plan to monetise public assets to fund fresh capital expenditure on infrastructure, the government released a list of projects and facilities to be offered to private investors over the next four years through structured leasing and securitisation transactions.

1) The NMP names a list of public assets that will be leased to private investors. Only brown-field assets, which are assets that are already operational, are planned to be leased out under the NMP. So, to give an example, an airport that is already operational may be leased out to an investor.

2) Assets that are yet to be developed, such as an undeveloped piece of land, for example, may not be leased out. Importantly, there won’t be any transfer of ownership from the government to the private sector when assets are leased out.

3) The government only plans to cede control over its assets for a certain period of time, after which the assets must be returned to the government unless the lease is extended.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

17)Consider following with reference to 105^th Constitution Amendment :

The 105th Constitution Amendment was notified on August 19 after it received the assent of President of Indida. It is aimed at restoring to the States their power to identify socially and educationally backward classes

1) Through the 102nd Constitution Amendment, Parliament created a National Backward Classes Commission, vesting it with the power to be consulted by the Centre as well as the States in all matters concerning the ‘socially and educationally backward classes’ (SEBCs). In a bid to clothe the Commission with the same powers as the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission, Parliament used wording identical to the existing provisions relating to the SC/ST Commission. Thus, under Article 342A, it was laid down that the President shall notify a list of SEBCs in relation to each State and Union Territory in consultation with the Governors. This was called the ‘Central List’, and once it is notified, only Parliament alone could make changes to it.

2) Based on this, the Supreme Court, while considering a challenge to the Maratha reservation in Maharashtra on various grounds, concluded that after this Amendment came into force, States can no more notify or identify backward classes, and only the President could do so, and further changes could be made by Parliament.

3) It was introduced as the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill, 2021. After its passage and on receiving presidential assent, it was notified as the Constitution (105th Amendment) Act, 2021.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

18)Consider following with reference to RaaS :

Ransomware is going to dominate the cybercrime landscape. A report prepared by Unit 42 and The Crypsis Group incident response and digital forensics firm, notified several disturbing threat trends.

1) Ransomware Evil, REvil or Sodinokibi, a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation has emerged as one of the world’s most notorious and latest ransomware operators.

2) This criminal group provides adaptable encryptors and decryptors, infrastructure and services for negotiation communications, and a leak site for publishing stolen data when victims don’t pay the ransom demand.

3) As per our observation of cases, REvil and its affiliates pulled in an average payment of $2.25 million during the first six months of 2021.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

19)Consider following with reference to Moplah Rebellion :

1) This August,2021 is the centenary of events known as Mappila Lahala in Malayalam and Moplah Rebellion in British colonial records, which took place in Malabar in 1921. To those who lived through those times, it was a momentous period

2) There were landed gentry, leasing out to mostly Muslim tenants, called Mappilas in local parlance.

3) For the Mappillas, who rose against an oppressive agrarian system and fought bravely with crude weapons against a mighty empire, till they were finally crushed. Many of them died when the British transported the vanquished out of Malabar by rail in a goods wagon. For those Hindus who had nothing to do with the feudal order but yet underwent the trauma of having another faith imposed on them.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

20)Consider following with reference to Multilatelralism :

India has been a consistent advocate of multilateralism and Prime Minister recently said: “India firmly believes that the path to achieve sustainable peace and prosperity is through multilateralism. As children of Planet Earth we must join hands to address our common challenges and achieve our common goals.”

1) The United Nations is at the centre of multilateral institutions and processes

2) While there are multilateral institutions they have become platforms for contestations among their member states

3) Participating in multilateral negotiations, and at the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva, or later at multilateral negotiations on climate change in the run-up to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in 2009.

4) A fresh pandemic may erupt in any remote corner of the world and spread throughout the globe. Prevention cannot be achieved through coercion, only through cooperation. It is only multilateralism that makes this possible.

5) Multilateralism is under unprecedented stress fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic and a certain disenchantment with globalisation

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

22)Consider following with reference to World Food Day (October 16), 2020 :

1) This World Food Day, we — the food agencies of the United Nations (UN) — pledge to work together to end hunger, eradicate food insecurity and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2.

2) Projections show that the world is not on track to achieve zero hunger by 2030, or to meet global nutrition targets.

3) Central and State governments were able to distribute around 23 million tonnes from India’s large domestic food grain reserves in three months (April to June,2020) through the Public Distribution System, providing much-needed emergency assistance to families around the country. The government also successfully mobilised food rations for 820 million people from April to November 2020, including finding alternate solutions to provide food rations to 90 million schoolchildren

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

23)Consider following with reference to Gupkar Declaration :

1) The Gupkar Declaration on August 4, 2019, had anticipated the Centre’s move to repeal J&K’s special status the next day and vowed to fight for its protection. J&K also lost its statehood. The NC, the PDP, People’s Conference, Awami National Conference, the J&K Peoples Movement, and CPI (M) have reiterated their earlier pledge; the Awami Ittehad Party and the Peoples Democratic Front too have declared their support. The coming together of the rival regional parties is strange and significant; this is no electoral alliance, but a political meeting point on the status of Kashmir.

2) It is a result of the perception that politics in J&K is a face-off with the Centre and a reflection of increased Kashmiri alienation from the national mainstream.

3) The announcement, in August, 2020, by five regional parties and the CPI(M), of the formation of the ‘Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration’ to fight for the restoration of full statehood and special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir, is one that has also coincided with the release of former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti after 14 months in detention

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

24)Consider following with reference to Wooden Toys :

1)Etikoppaka (A.P.)

2)Nirmal (Telangana

3)Chennapatna (Karnatka)

4)Kondapalli (Andhra Pradesh)

Which of the statements/pairs, given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

25)Consider following with reference to Channapatna wood toys :

1) Channapatna toys date back to the reign of the 18th century ruler of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom, Tipu Sultan, who invited Persian artisans to train local artisans in making wooden toys.

2) As ivory wood trees, easily distinguishable with their blooms of white, star-shaped flowers, were available aplenty in and around Ramanagara district, the craft flourished in Channapatna. Ivory wood trees help make lightweight toys.

3) The uniqueness of the craft also helped the toys earn the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The GI tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

26)Consider following with reference to Caspian Sea :

1) The war games are taking place north of Azerbaijan’s Absheron peninsula, where Baku is located, and will include artillery and rocket fire

2) But Armenia, unlike Azerbaijan, is a member of the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) military alliance and Yerevan has made clear it is hoping for Russian backing.

3) CSTO forces have also been taking part in joint military exercises in August,2020 in Belarus. The exercises are called “Indestructible Brotherhood”.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

27)Consider following with reference to Bogibeel :

1) Bogibeel, India’s longest rail-and-road bridge across the Brahmaputra, had in December 2018 brought the two “emotionally connected” banks of eastern Assam closer by more than seven hours.

2) Lakhimpur and Dibrugarh districts had always been psychologically, economically and culturally linked but the river forced residents to maintain distance. The alternative was a 12-hour road trip via Kaliabhomora bridge or a time-consuming river ferry service.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

28)Consider following with reference to Caspian Sea and its coastal countries :

1)Azerbaijan

2)Russia

3) Kazakstan

4) Turkmenistan

5) Iran

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

29)Consider following with reference to Oil Palm cultivation :

A study done by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research recommended 28 lakh hectares across the country where oil palm can be cultivated, out of which only 9 lakh hectares are in the northeastern States,

1) The production of palm oil from one hectare is far greater than the production of mustard oil in the same area.

2) Palm oil currently makes up a whopping 55% of India’s edible oil imports, and the new mission is intended to move towards domestic production and self reliance instead.

3) The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have already had some experience with oil palm, including some abandoned plantations on Katchal Island in the Nicobar chain, and a 1,593-hectare area on Little Andaman which was planted more than 35 years ago and abandoned on the instructions of the Supreme Court. These can be revived and supplemented by plantations in the grasslands, which make up more than 75% of the land area of Little Andaman, Katchal, Baratang, Kamorta and Teressa

4) Oil palm requires 300 litres of water per tree per day, as well as high pesticide use in areas where it is not a native crop, leading to consumer health concerns as well.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

30)Consider following with reference to South China Sea :

1) Over $5 trillion trade passes through the South China Sea, and 55% of India’s trade pass through its waters and the Malacca Straits, according to estimates by India. China claims under a so-called “nine dash line” on its maps most of the South China Sea’s waters, which are disputed by several other countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

2) The “nine dash line” is deemed by most countries as being inconsistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which only gives states the right to establish a territorial sea up to 12 nautical miles.

3) The requirements of the latest notice will also be seen as being inconsistent with UNCLOS, which states that ships of all countries “enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea”.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

31)Consider following with reference to Hurricane Ida :

The National Hurricane Center also reported high water levels and flooding affecting the communities of Shell Beach, Louisiana and Yach Club, Mississippi.

1) Hurricane Ida struck the coast of Louisiana on Sunday as a powerful Category 4 storm.

2) Storm surges had earlier flooded Grand Isle, on a barrier island south of New Orleans

3) Ida struck the port, located approximately 160 km directly south of New Orleans

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

32)Consider following with reference to :

A royal charter or sasana of the Chola kings, lost 300 years ago from Tamil Nadu, is now being preserved in the Leiden University in the Netherlands. Commonly referred to as the “Leiden plates”, it was issued by the kings to a Buddhist vihara

1) The charter has two sections — one in Sanskrit and another in Tamil — and the 21 copper plates are held together by a massive bronze ring bearing the regal seal of Rajendra Chola. They also deal with the geneology of the Chola dynasty and the reign of king Rajaraja I (985-1012 AD), the father of Rajendra Chola (1012-1042 AD).

It proclaims that 26 villages bordering Anaimangalam were donated for a Buddhist shrine (vihara), known as Chulamanivarmavihara, built by the Malay king of Sriwijaya in Nagapattinam,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

33)Consider following with reference to Article 167 of Constitution of India :

1) Article 167 of the Constitution does allow a Governor to call for any information “relating to the administration of the affairs of the State”; but, with a wink from the bosses in the Union Home Ministry, a Governor like Mr. Dhankhar or Mr. Koshyari can become a total partisan. But, it was a new low when the Maharashtra Governor mockingly asked the Chief Minister if he had suddenly turned ‘secular’.

2) In the Kesavananda Bharati case, the Supreme Court had declared secularism as a basic feature of the Constitution, even before the Forty-Second Amendment had introduced the word ‘secular’ in the Preamble to the Constitution

3) The Supreme Court did try, through its judgment in the S.R. Bommai case, to restore some kind of order on the rampant proclivities of Raj Bhavans.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

34)Consider following with reference to GHI :

1) 2020’s Global Hunger Index (GHI) places India in the company of Sudan — rank 94 among 107 countries — with the unedifying assessment of the national situation as “serious”.

2) The country’s score of 27.2 is the worst among BRICS countries, and inferior to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

3) The GHI is developed around wasting and stunting (under five), the share of the population with insufficient caloric intake, and child mortality.

4) Index scores by international agencies have been critiqued as flawed for choosing the wrong weights in scoring, and also for not including genetics and social determinants, but that would be a narrow view

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

35)Consider following with reference to GST :

It is said that States had agreed to the Centre’s proposal could begin borrowing from the market. (October,2020 news) To recap — the Centre had argued that just ₹1.1-lakh crore of the estimated ₹2.35-lakh crore shortfall in GST cess inflows was due to GST implementation; the rest was due to COVID-19.

1) It was stold States could borrow ₹1.1-lakh crore with interest and principal payments to come from future cess collections; or borrow the ₹2.35-lakh crore, but bear the interest from their coffers.

2) But the Centre changed tack and said it was now willing to borrow the ₹1.1-lakh crore and lend it onward. Calling this an administratively easier measure to ensure States do not end up borrowing at different interest rates, the Ministry asserted this would neither increase the fiscal deficit nor the general government debt.

3) Later in October,2020 ,Union Finance Minister wrote to Chief Ministers suggesting that the ₹1.1-lakh crore, in addition to the 0.5% of GSDP borrowing, would give them ₹2.16-lakh crore, or almost 90% of the compensation shortfall.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

36)Consider following with reference to National Police Commission and Police Reforms :

The first serious attempt to overhaul the policing machinery was made when the National Police Commission (NPC) was set up in 1977.

1) The NPC submitted eight reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs between 1979 and 1981. Seven of these reports were circulated to the States in 1983 with an annotation that “the Commission has been unduly critical of the political system or the functioning of the police force in general”.

2) In a subtle manner, a signal had been sent.

3) . The report was put in cold storage until Prakash Singh, a retired IPS officer, filed a PIL in the apex court in 1996 demanding the implementation of the NPC’s recommendations.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

37)Consider following with reference to GST Compensation Cess : (October,2020 news)

1) GST compensation cess is levied on goods such as cars, aerated drinks and tobacco products, over and above the highest GST rate of 28%, and was to be levied for the first five years of the GST regime to compensate States. The GST Council has decided to extend the levy beyond that period to meet shortfalls in accruals this year.

2) Cess shortfalls cannot be met from the Consolidated Fund of India. So it has to be raised through some borrowing arrangement like the present one.

3) Centre decided to borrow ₹1.1 lakh crore on behalf of States and lend it onward.

4) The cess may have to be continued up to a much later period, I think maybe 2025-26

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

38)Consider following with reference to Article 121 and 211 of Constitution of India :

1) Article 121 and Article 211 of the Constitution expressly bar Parliament and the State legislatures to discuss the conduct of any judge.

2) The Constitution confers such immunity having regard to the onerous responsibility of judges in discharging constitutional functions

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

39)Consider following with reference to Herbal medicines and body immunity against viruses :

1) An 11-member committee led by former ICMR chief recommended that in the “short term… “Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) aqueous extract, guduchi+pippali (Piper longum), aqueous extracts and AYUSH 64 (a drug with multiple herbs developed by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences) be recommended for inclusion in the standard care for mild to moderate cases of COVID-19”.

2) Ashwagandha has been recommended by the committee because laboratory studies show that it “inhibited the entry” of SARS-CoV-2 into healthy cells and guduchi showed “high binding efficacy” against SARS-CoV-2 targets involved in attachment and replication of the virus, compared to Favipiravir, Lopinavir/Ritonavir.”

3) In the Ayurveda system, chyawanprash is a “complex mix of herbs” and several common herbs — like turmeric, black pepper and ginger infusions contribute in varying measures to keeping the immune system in a state of preparedness against fighting pathogens,

4) Turmeric, Ashwagandha, giloy all confer varying degree of immunity and may confer varying degrees of benefit to different people, depending on their individual constitution

5) In the modern-science view, there are two kinds of immunity: one is ‘innate’ immunity which is the first line of defence against an infection. A class of cells called “natural killer cells” and produced in the bone marrow directly attack infectious microbes. The other, a so-called adaptive immunity, where specialised cells produced in the thymus gland actively monitor — and produce antibodies that are specific to viruses and bacteria. Both systems work in tandem.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

40)Consider following with reference to Hybrid Fund :

1) A hybrid fund is one that invests in both equity and bonds.

2) So, such funds ought to help investors with their asset allocation decision. This refers to how you allocate your annual savings between equity and bond investments.

3) Hybrid funds cannot consider your individual goal requirement as it is a collective investment vehicle.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

41)Consider following with reference to FDI inflow :

Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into India in the first five months of 2020-21 have hit a record high, despite a sharp 60% contraction in the first quarter, with July and August raking in over $20 billion of equity FDI.

Total FDI inflows surged from $11.51 billion between April and June to $35.73 billion by the end of August,2020.

1) Total FDI flows include fresh equity investments as well as re-invested earnings of foreign investors and other forms of investment capital, such as debt.

2) FDI equity flows were boosted by investments into Jio Platforms, Reliance Industries’ telecom subsidiary, from global investors like Google that bet $4.5 billion on the venture in July,2020

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

42)Consider following :

October 2020 saw two disruptive events that were organised by the Government of India for collaborative knowledge creation.

1) At the Vaishvik Bharatiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) summit , which was inaugurated on October 2, more than 3,000 overseas Indian-origin academicians and scientists from 55 countries, and about 10,000 Indians participated to ideate on innovative solutions to our challenges.

2) The Prime Minister articulated this spirit of knowledge sharing while inaugurating the summit; he called it “a true sangam or confluence of great minds” where “we sit to form our long-lasting association for empowering India and our planet”. The concluding session was planned on October 31,2020

3) This has been concomitant to the Responsible AI for Social Empowerment (RAISE) 2020 summit , which was from October 5-9,2020. It was to charter a course to effectively use AI for social empowerment, inclusion, and transformation in key sectors such as health care, agriculture, finance, education and smart mobility

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

43)Consider following :

Innovation needs risk capital in terms of resources and psychological security for researchers. It needs an environment where it is safe to fail.

1) The government has been building a comprehensive framework to this end.

2) It is incentivising research and development with several schemes such as Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) scholarships, the Ramanujan Fellowship, the Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN) scheme, Smart India Hackathons (SIH), Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), the Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) scheme, setting up of the Future Skills PRIME (Programme for Reskilling/Upskilling of IT Manpower for Employability) capacity building platform and also the triad of Scheme for Transformational and Advanced Research in Sciences (STARS), Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) and Impactful Policy Research in Social Science (IMPRESS).

3) The National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems aims to ‘catalyse translational research across “Al, IoT or the Internet of Things, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Big Data Analytics, Robotics, Quantum Computing, Data Science”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

44)Consider following :

Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) of its status as an autonomous body of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF) has triggered anxiety among scientists at the organisation.

1) “The major responsibility of this Institute is to provide advice to MoEF based on scientific information on policy and management of the country’s Wildlife Resources.,”

2) This role can only be performed and remains relevant as long as the institute remains a part of the MoEF

3)It is considered as “unbiased opinion generator” that both government and public sector units consulted for assessing the impact of development projects on wildlife.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

45)Consider following with reference to CPI-IW :

1) The Labour and Employment Ministry in October,2020 revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) from 2001 to 2016 to reflect the changing consumption pattern, giving more weightage to spending on health, education, recreation and other miscellaneous expenses, while reducing the weight of food and beverages.

2) Apart from measuring inflation in retail prices, the CPI-IW is used to regulate the dearness allowance (DA) of government staff and industrial workers, as well as to revise minimum wages in scheduled employments

3) The sample size was increased from 41,040 families to 48,384, and the number of selected markets for collecting retail price data from 289 to 317. The weight to food and beverage was reduced from 46.2% to 39%, while spending on housing increased from 15.2% to 17%.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

46)Consider following with reference to FATF Grey list (October , 2020 news) :

1) Pakistan has made progress across all action plan items and has now largely addressed 21 of 27 action items.

2) As all action plan deadlines have expired, the FATF strongly urges Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by February 2021,” said an FATF statement issued in Paris at the end of the Plenary session, on the decision to keep Pakistan in the list of “Jurisdictions under increased monitoring” or grey list.

3) On-site teams are permitted only after jurisdictions complete their Action Plans.

Such visits would signal exit from the grey or black list. However, when the proposal was placed before the 38-member Plenary, no other member seconded the move; it was not supported even by China, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia,

4) The points on which Pakistan failed to deliver included inaction against charitable organisations or non-profit organisations linked to terror groups banned by the UNSC.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

47)Consider following with reference to North East Monsoon in Tamilnadu :

1) The transition period of wind patterns from southwesterly to northeasterly was another reason for localised convection and intense thunderstorms

2) IMD’s forecast, said the NE monsoon is expected to bring near normal rainfall over north Tamil Nadu and below normal in the southern parts.

3) East-west shear zone and the depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal had brought thunderstorms over the State.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

48)Consider following with reference to Entry 33 (b) :

1) The Centre has enacted its farm sector Bills by invoking Entry 33(b) in the Concurrent List, which concerns trade and commerce in, and production, supply and distribution of, “foodstuffs”.

2) By stretching the entry’s meaning to include agriculture, Parliament has managed to pass laws in the domain of the States

3) The Centre has enacted its farm sector Bills by invoking Entry 33(b) in the Concurrent List, which concerns trade and commerce in, and production, supply and distribution of, “foodstuffs”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

49)Consider following (October,2020 news) :

In Telangana’s natural terrain, lakes exist in sororities. The State’s undulating topography allowed the existence of a reported one lakh chain-linked lakes/ponds, locally known as Kuntas and Cheruvus, in Hyderabad and its peripheries in the pre-independence era. Surplus water from each lake flowed down to the next water body in the basin, completing a chain link. The system worked well for the region in the Deccan Plateau where canal irrigation was not an option. Owing to the linkages, flooding could be avoided during monsoons, and there would be enough water impounded for summer crops. The rulers recognised this fact, and through their diktats, maintained the lakes’ health. They also added new lakes, constructed strong bunds and drains to control the flows, and maintained and developed them.

1) From one lakh, the water bodies have drastically come down to 185 within the Greater Hyderabad capital region, and to 3,132 within the limits of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) as enumerated by its Lake Protection Committee till date. Of the 185 lakes in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), for 75, the surplus weirs and courses are completely closed.

2) Two studies — one by Kirloskar Consultancy in 2002 for the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad and the other by the Voyants Consultancy in 2008 for GHMC — recommended widening and improving storm water drains, and diverting sewage.

Caught in a difficult situation, the government is blaming the problems on the unprecedented rainfall in a single day.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

50)Consider following (October, 2020 news) :

1) The old map(of Nepal) does not show the region of Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura, which is part of India’s Pithoragarh district.

2) The triangular piece of land is, however, shown as part of Nepalese sovereign territory in the new map, which was unveiled on May 20,2020 and made part of the insignia of the Nepalese state by an amendment on June 13,2020

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

51)Consider following with reference to GST compensation :

1) Kicking off its borrowing plan to meet the GST compensation shortfalls faced by States, the Centre on 23.10.2020 borrowed and transferred ₹6,000 crore to 16 States as well as the Union Territories of Delhi and J&K.

2) The government indicated that it planned to release ₹6,000 crore every week to the States till the approved borrowings to meet the shortfall are met.

At this rate, it could take about 13 weeks or about three months to complete the envisaged borrowing.

As of now, 21 States had selected the Centre’s option to borrow ₹1.1 lakh crore out of the total ₹2.35 lakh crore GST compensation shortfall estimated for 2020-21.

With seven States — including Kerala, West Bengal and Punjab — were supposed to convey their acceptance to the Centre’s proposed solution to meet the GST shortfalls, the Finance Ministry has so far granted permission to raise about ₹78,500 crore to meet the shortfall pertaining to 21 States.

4) The borrowing is at an interest rate of 5.19%. It is intended to make weekly releases of ₹6,000 crore to the States. Tenor of borrowing is expected to be broadly in the range of 3 to 5 years,

5) The interest on these borrowings, as well as the principal, is to be repaid from future GST cess collections, with the GST Council extending the applicability of the cess levied on sin or luxury goods over and above the highest GST rate of 28%, beyond the original deadline of June 2022.

6)Earlier in the month of October, 2020, the Centre had released ₹20,000 crore to States from GST compensation cess collections garnered so far this year.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

52)Consider following with reference to invIT for NMP :

The Government has launched a National Monetisation Pipeline, or NMP to sell public assets or, more precisely, their revenue streams over the next four years. The pipeline mostly includes railway stations, freight corridors, airports, and renovated national highway segments (yielding toll revenue) amounting to ₹6-lakh crore, or 3% of GDP in 2020-21.

As outlined in the Union Budget, the NMP aims to mobilise resources for financing infrastructure. The other two methods of raising resources are: setting up of a development finance institution (DFI) and raising the share of infrastructure investment in the central and State Budgets.

The NMP outlines mainly two modes of implementing the monetisation: public-private partnership (PPP) and “structured financing” to tap the stock market. PPP in infrastructure has been a financial disaster in India, as evident from what happened after the economic boom of 2003-08. Surely, India did create world-class airports in Mumbai and Delhi and speeded up highway road reconstruction.

1) An Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) is being mooted as an alternative means of raising finance from the stock market. For NMP

In principle, InvIT is much like a mutual fund, whose performance is largely linked to stock prices. It may be worthwhile to jog one’s memory to recall how the disinvestment process began in 1991 after the initiation of economic reforms.

3)It was by “off-loading” bundles of shares of public sector enterprises (PSEs) to the financial institution UTI, which in turn sold the bundles in the booming secondary stock market to realise the best price.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

53)Consider following with reference to Pashmina Shawls (in J&K) :

1) Over a period, the number of women associated with hand-spinning of yarns for Pashmina shawls has dwindled significantly in Kashmir, but a rare initiative to double the wages and ensure round-the-year orders is likely to see the re-engagement of women artisans in a critical production process of the world-famous hand-made shawls.

2) Old techniques of weaving are fading fast in Kashmir.

3) Poor wages and machines have played a role in driving away women who used to spin the finest yarns in the world. This initiative is aimed at reviving the lost sheen of the hand-made shawls,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

54)Consider following with reference to Darjeeling Train Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR). :

1) Heritage railway that connects New Jalpaiguri with Darjeeling, across 87.48 km.

2) There are four fully functional and operational railways networks in mountains and hilly terrains in India — the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway located in the foothills of the Himalayas in West Bengal; the Nilgiris Mountain Railways located in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu; the Kalka Shimla Railway located in the Himalayan foothills of Himachal Pradesh; and the Matheran Railway located in Maharashtra.

3) DHR was the only surviving, fully functional two-feet gauge railway in the world and that it was the pride of the people of Darjeeling.

4) Built in the British era between 1879 and 1881, the Darjeeling toy train was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

55)Consider following with reference to UNSC Resolution 2593 (30.8.2021) :

Despite the abstention of two “P5” countries — Russia and China — from the India-led United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2593, the Government of India said it was a “matter of satisfaction” that the resolution addressed India’s “key concerns” on Afghanistan.

1) P5 refers to the five permanent members of the UNSC — China, France, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S.

2) The resolution 2593, called on the Taliban to keep their commitments on preventing terror groups in Afghanistan and urged them to assist the safe evacuations of all Afghan nationals wishing to leave the country, was the result of a careful coordination and “high-level” official contacts with UNSC members, including a call to U.S.

3) The resolution demands that Afghan territory should not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter and train terrorists and plan or finance terrorist attacks. It mentions individuals designated by Resolution 1267, (which includes the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad),”

4) India demitted presidency of the UNSC.on 31.8.2021 (India President is for one month period)

5) It is said that U.S., the U.K. and France, the sponsors of the resolution, rushed it through on a “tight schedule” while seeking to absolve the U.S. of responsibility, and distinguishing between “their and our terrorists”.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

56)Consider following with reference to V-shaped recovery (context India’s GDP/GVA growth in Q1 of 2021-2022) :

The spectacular headline number cannot be interpreted as a V-shaped recovery.

1) In a V–shaped recession, the economy suffers a sharp but brief period of economic decline with a clearly defined trough, followed by a strong recovery.

2) India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 20.1% in the first quarter of 2021-22, compared with the 24.4% contraction recorded in the corresponding quarter a year ago, but economic activity remained well below the pre-pandemic levels,

3) Overall GVA in Q1 was still 7.8% lower than the first quarter of 2019-20, at ₹30,47,516 crore, while GDP remained 9.2% lower, indicating that the economy still has some way to go before it returns to activity levels prevalent prior to the pandemic.

4) GVA from agriculture, forestry and fishing, the only sector to grow amid last year’s national lockdown, picked up pace to grow 4.5% in Q1 this year from 3.5% in Q1 2020-21.

5)Electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services, whose GVA grew 14.3% in Q1 of 2021-22, compared with a 9.9% fall last year, was the only sector along with agriculture, forestry and fishing, to recover beyond the pre-pandemic levels of 2019-20.

6) Overall GVA in Q1 was still 7.8% lower than the first quarter of 2019-20, at ₹30,47,516 crore, while GDP remained 9.2% lower, indicating that the economy still has some way to go before it returns to activity levels prevalent prior to the pandemic

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

57)Consider following with reference to Pulicat Lake and its 3 estuaries (mouths) :

1) The lake has one mouth at Nawabpetta, a second near Sriharikota and a third in Pazhaverkadu — all these allow entry/exit of sea water from the Bay of Bengal.

2) The lake is spread across two States — Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

3) Pulicat Lake is Asia’s second largest brackish waterbody, covering over 712 sq.km.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

58)Consider following with reference to Cauvery river :

1) Karnataka has four reservoirs i.e., Krishnaraja Sagar, Kabini, Hemavathy and Harangi and out of these, two major reservoirs — Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini — were almost full

2) Both the Mekedatu project and the Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar link canal scheme had been deferred.( in the CWMA meeting on 31.8.2021)

3) The Kabini catchments had experienced a deficit rainfall. (Upto August, 2021)

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

59)Consider following with reference to Cooum river in Tamil Nadu :

1)The 72-km long river continues to be a freshwater source for drinking and agriculture needs in Tiruvallur district until it reaches urban limits (Avadi Municipal Corporation)

2) The residents also want treated sewage released in the Cooum, near Paruthipattu bridge, to be diverted to the stretch downstream of the Paruthipattu check-dam.

3) Officials of the Water Resources Department said they had written to the Avadi Municipal Corporation to initiate action to stop sewage pollution and construct a compound wall around the Sekkadu dumping yard

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

60)Consider following with reference to BRICS :

1) The 13th BRICS summit is set to be held on September 9,2021 in digital format under India’s chairmanship. This plurilateral grouping comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa is chaired by turn. India held the chair in 2012 and 2016 too

2) As the current chair, India has outlined four priorities. The first is to pursue reform of multilateral institutions ranging from the United Nations, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to the World Trade Organization and now even the World Health Organization.

3) The second is the resolve to combat terrorism. Terrorism is an international phenomenon affecting Europe, Africa, Asia and other parts of the world. In this context, BRICS is attempting to pragmatically shape its counter-terrorism strategy by crafting the BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan containing specific measures to fight radicalisation, terrorist financing and misuse of the Internet by terrorist groups

4) Promoting technological and digital solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals and expanding people-to-people cooperation are the other two BRICS priorities.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

62)Consider following with reference to Levant :

1)Syria

2)Israel

3)Jordan

4) Lebanon

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

63)Consider following with reference to Human – Elephant conflict in Tamil Nadu :

1) Gudalur has been at the centre of the human-elephant conflict for the past few decades, with research indicating that the disappearance of forest cover and swamp lands, and the associated micro habitats, had led to the rise in confrontations.

2) The death of people, more men than women, due to attacks by wild elephants, and the number of deaths of elephants caused by people have also been high in the Gudalur range in the past few decades.

3) Since elephants usually come to depredate during the night, monitoring becomes difficult, and so, local forest officials were guided to use the drones during the day to locate the animals, and send kumkis to push them deeper into the forests towards Kerala and the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR),

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

64)Consider following with reference to Net Zero Emissions :

1) The transition of the global economy to net zero emissions is the biggest commercial opportunity in history.

2) In just the energy sector alone, an estimated $1.6 to $3.8 trillion of investment is required every year until 2050.

3) India is set to significantly exceed its Paris Agreement commitment of reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35% below 2005 levels by 2030, providing ready room for higher ambition.

4)India is impressing the world with its leading roll-out of renewable energy and target for 450GW by 2030, linked to its leadership on the International Solar Alliance and recent national hydrogen strategy. Indian corporates are also stepping up, with the Tata Group winning awards on sustainability, Mahindra committing to net zero by 2040 and Reliance by 2035. There is plenty on which to build.

5) Solar energy costs have fallen 90% in recent years, providing the cheapest electricity in India ever seen. Also, given the negative impacts, addressing climate change in India’s economic development is now central to success, not an added luxury to consider.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

65)Consider following with reference to Regulation of Micro Finance (by RBI) :

1) The definition of microfinance itself is proposed to mean collateral-free loans to households with annual household incomes of up to ₹1,25,000 and ₹2,00,000 for rural and urban areas respectively.

2) The document requires all Regulated Entities to have a board-approved policy for household income assessment. Moreover, it caps loan repayment (principal and interest) for all outstanding loans of the household at 50% of household income.

3) Given the importance accorded to household income, measuring this accurately becomes critical for effective implementation of these norms.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

66)Consider following with reference to multinational Exercise ZAPAD 2021 :

1)Held at Nizhniy, Russia

2)9 Participating countries and 8 observers including China and Pakistan (Mangolia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Russia, India and Belarus) (Observers: Pakistan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka )

3)The exercise aims to enhance military and strategic ties amongst the participating nations while they plan and execute this exercise.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

67)Consider following with reference to ‘Negative ‘ Indian Ocean Dipole :

All regions in India — northwest, central and eastern and northeast — are seeing deficits in rainfall, except for the southern peninsula, which has reported an 8% surplus. (August,2021)

1)The factors that caused the August, 2021 deficit were a ‘Negative’ Indian Ocean Dipole, characterized by warmer eastern Indian Ocean and colder closer to the Indian coast, which is considered unhelpful for the moon.

2)The central equatorial Pacific was expected to show a ‘cooling trend’ towards September,2021 and this cold be favourable for the monsoon. But the Indian Ocean temperatures were not expected to be significantly helpful.

3) IMD has formally adopted a dynamic – modelling approach, whereby the weather conditions are simulated and projected into the future by supercomputer. Though the approach is more accurate at forecasting impending changes in weather a week or two in advance, it has not proved reliable at long-range forecasting in the past three years.

4) Wind-bearing depressions in the Bay of Bengal, coupled with moisture from the Arabian Sea, usually inject surges of rain over central India. But this did not happen and did not salvage the break-like conditions

5) Other meteorologists said that large effects of global warming were impacting monsoon rainfall. The number of rain-bearing depressions in the Bay of Bengal was declining and pre-monsoon cyclones, such as Tauktae that veered very close to Mumbai, possibly altered heat distribution patterns over the landmass, influencing moisture distribution and thereby causing erratic rainfall

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

68)Consider following :

Ladakh on 1.9.2021 adopted two endangered species, snow leopard and black-necked crane, as the State animal and the State bird

1) “Black-necked crane (Grus nicricollis) and snow leopard (Panther unica) are two endangered species and the pride of Ladakh, “Black-necked crane and snow leopard are two endangered species and the pride of Ladakh,

2) Black-necked cranes are only found in Ladakh’s Changthang region. They are described as majestic birds — around 139 cm long with a 235 cm wingspan and weighing 5-6 kg. The bird’s sighting is considered auspicious in Ladakh.

3) Snow leopard, whose numbers are dwindling wordwide, has been categorised as “vulnerable” in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

69)Consider following :

Afghanistan was admitted into the SAARC as the eighth member in 2007 when the country was led by President Hamid Karzai.

1) Over the years, it has found representation in many SAARC projects covering education and sustainable development

2) With uncertainty hanging over the international representation of Afghanistan under the Taliban, a question has risen over its membership in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which is scheduled to meet next in Islamabad

3) Veteran diplomats here observed that the fate of Afghanistan’s membership, and even the future of SAARC to some extent, depends on the Taliban creating an inclusive government.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

70)Consider following :

Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana on 30.8.2021 read out the oath of allegiance to the Constitution to nine new judges of the Supreme Court, reducing the vacancies in the court to just one.

1) The Chief Justice of India and the Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President under clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution.

2) Supreme Court Judges retire upon attaining the age of 65 years. In order to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court, a person must be a citizen of India and must have been, for atleast five years, a Judge of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession, or an Advocate of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession for at least 10 years or he must be, in the opinion of the President, a distinguished jurist.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

71)Consider following with reference to :

1) The first shipments on a newly-launched railway line from the Myanmar border to the key commercial hub of Chengdu in western China, that provides China a new road-rail transportation channel to the Indian Ocean, were delivered

2) A “test cargo” through what is being called the China-Myanmar New Passage arrived at the Chengdu rail port in Sichuan province on August 27,2021

3) This passage connects the logistics lines of Singapore, Myanmar and China, and is currently the most convenient land and sea channel linking the Indian Ocean with southwest China

4) The railway line currently ends in Lincang on the Chinese side opposite the Myanmar border trade town of Chin Shwe Haw. Plans are underway to develop Chin Shwe Haw as a “border economic cooperation zone” under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

72)Consider following with reference to Kandahar, Afghanistan :

1) Kandahar is in Pashtun heartland of the Taliban,

2) Taliban group was founded and from here it rose to power in 1996.

3)Taliban’s secretive supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada is living in Kandahar.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

73)Consider following with reference to :

1) The famous flamingos can now be spotted in hundreds in and around the Pulicat lagoon and also in the Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary. So are the spoonbills, which used to be few and far between a decade ago

2) Pulicat Lake, the largest brackish water ecosystem in the country, next only to Chilika in Odisha.

3) In all, 2 lakh birds, including rare species, are expected to stay put in and around Pulicat as also NelapattuIt’s a safe haven for 189 bird species, including 50 migratory ones

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

74)Consider following In the Himalayan region :

The intense anthropogenic activities associated with the proliferation of the hydroelectric projects in these precarious regions accelerate the intensity of flash floods, avalanches, and landslides.

2) The additional element of climate change makes these scenarios much worse.

3) About 15% of the great earthquakes (of magnitudes greater than 8) of the 20th century took place in the Himalaya and many of its segments are likely to see a period of intense earthquake activity in the future, as studies show

4) The recent events such as the Rishi Ganga tragedy and the disasters of 2012 (flashfloods), 2013 are examples of how hydroelectric projects which come in the way of high-velocity flows aggravate a disaster and should be treated as a warning against such projects in the disaster-prone Uttarakhand river valleys

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

75)Consider following with reference to Dy.Speaker in Lok Sabha :

1) A Deputy Speaker enjoys the same legislative powers as the Speaker. And in the absence of the Speaker because of death, illness or any other reason, the Deputy Speaker assumes the administrative powers.

2) Keeping the post of Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha vacant is a violation of Article 93 of the Constitution

3) The position had been vacant for the past 830 days.

4) It was for the House to elect a Deputy Speaker and it was not the Speaker’s job.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

76)Consider following with reference to Credit Bankl :

Forty Central universities will kick off implementation of innovative measures such as the academic credit bank and the glue grant meant to encourage multidisciplinarity

1) The first step would be the academic credit bank, which would have to be adopted separately by the academic council of each university to kick off implementation

2) . To start with, the system would allow students to attain qualifications by amassing credits rather than specific durations on campus. A certain number of credits would add up to a certificate, then a diploma and then a degree, allowing for multiple entry and exit points.

3) Students can earn up to 40% of their credits in online Swayam classes. In the future, the credits will be valid across institutions.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

77)Consider following with reference to ‘glue grant’ :

1) Under the glue grant, announced in this year’s (2021-2022) budget, institutions in the same city would be encouraged to share resources, equipment and even allow their students to take classes from each other.

2) “This is the first step for multidiciplinarity. We intend to start this from the second semester of the current academic year. Ultimately, faculty will be able to design joint courses, and you could see a DU student able to take a few classes at IIT-Delhi, or vice versa,” said the Higher Education Secretary.

3) This also meant that institutions need not duplicate work by developing the same capacities, but would able to build on each other’s expertise.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

78)Consider following with reference to critical phases of Jammu and Kashmir’s tumultuous history:

—

1) the accession to India in 1947,

2) the dethroning of then Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah in 1953,

3) the ascension of the Jamaat-e-Islami in the 1970s,

4) the rise of armed rebellion of 1990s,

5) the secret dialogue on Kashmir in the 2000s, and the.

6) end of J&K’s special Constitutional position in 2019

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

79)Consider following with reference to Dinosaurs foot prints in Rajasthan :

1) Footprints of three species of dinosaurs have been found in the Thar desert in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district, proving the presence of the giant reptiles in the western part of the Rajsthan State, which formed the seashore to the Tethys Ocean during the Mesozoic era.

2) The footprints, made in the sediment or silt of the seashore, later became permanently stone-like.

3) The footprints were 200 million years old. They were found near Jaisalmer’s Thaiat village.

4) The dinosaur species are considered to be of the theropod type, with the distinguishing features of hollow bones and feet with three digits. All the three species, belonging to the early Jurassic period, were carnivorous

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

80)Consider following with reference to Edible Oil Prices in India (2021) :

1) Average retail prices of major edible oils have risen by up to 48% over the last year (2020), driven by surging global prices and lower domestic production of soybean, which is India’s largest oilseed crop

2) Arrivals of domestic soybean crop and the rabi mustard would also help to soften prices

3) Soaring edible oil prices are likely to soften by December,2021 as international commodity futures show a declining trend and along with the arrival of domestic oilseed crops,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

81)Consider following with reference to Far Eastern Economic Forum 2021, currently under way in the Russian port city of Vladivostok. :

1) There are a number of areas spanning connectivity, space research and ship-building, were redefining the strategic bilateral partnership, between Indian and Russia .

2) The forum was set up by a decree of Mr. Putin in 2015 to support the economic development of Russia’s far east and “expand international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region”.

3) The modern ship-building facility at Zvezda and the Mazagaon Docks Limited would work together for the “construction of some of the most important commercial ships in the world”.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

82)Consider following with reference to Eastern Ladakh :

1) The Army conducted an exercise with armoured elements in the super high altitude area (SHAA) of Ladakh under the aegis of the Leh-based 14 Corps.

2) The terrain here permits use of tanks and mechanised elements as there are lots of plains in Eastern Ladakh,” the source stated, pointing to the possibility of tank battles in this area.

3) The Snow Leopard Brigade is located at Nyoma, which is very close to the Chushul range,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

83)Consider following with reference to Bhitarkanika (Odisha) :

1) Bhitarkanika — a notified Ramsar wetland — is spread over 195 sq. km and is home to 62 mangrove species. Besides, 1,600 salt water crocodiles crawl on the mudflats of the Bhitarkanika mangrove forest.

2) Environmentalists expressed concern over the massive diversion of fresh water from the Brahmani river basin, which could pose a grave threat to the famous mangrove vegetation in Odisha.

3) Mangroves grow in brackish water. Proportionate fresh water flow from the Brahmani river basin and the Kharasrota river keep the salinity level of the water along the shore down.The brackish water becomes ideal for the mangroves to grow and stay healthy.

4) The Talcher-Angul coal mines, steel and power plants as well as the Kalinganagar steel and power hub are drawing enormous quantities of fresh water from the Brahmani river

5) Against an available 4,400 mcum of fresh water stored by the Rengali reservoir, 4,318 mcum, that is almost equal to the available water supply shall be withdrawn from the river,

6) The reduction in water flow would lead to drastic changes in the water regime of the Bhitarkanika mangroves. The Sunderbans mangrove forest was drastically affected after the Farraka barrage was commissioned

7) Besides, there could be a quantum increase in the man–crocodile conflict since the estuarine crocodiles would leave the core sanctuary area and migrate upstream once salinity increases

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

84)Consider following with reference to Covid-19 and Gender Impact in India :

In India, the pandemic has had a differential impact on women. Despite gaps, India had seen progress in maternal mortality. There have been significant gains in infant mortality, institutional births and replacement level fertility. However, there is still a high unmet need for family planning and improved access is required to contraceptive services and safe abortions. A recent modelling study showed that because of the reduction in coverage of essential services, the prevalence of wasting in children could increase by 10% to 50%. There could also be 60% more maternal deaths because interventions like the administration of uterotonics and antibiotics, and clean birth environments, are no longer available.

1) COVID-19 has also disrupted the education system. It has also adversely affected access to nutritious food as a huge number of children depend on school meals.

2) Another worrying development is the surge in domestic violence. In India, a third of women said that they had previously experienced domestic violence, but less than 1% sought help from the police. Governments can include response to violence against women in the package of essential services.

3) Many women have lost their work and livelihoods. More women than men work in the informal economy and therefore their income fell by over 60% during the first month of the pandemic. In India, the number of women and girls living in extreme poverty is expected to increase from 87 million to 100 million.

4) Women in particular have their work cut out for them. Greater demands of unpaid care work during the pandemic and rising rates of reported violence are a stark reminder of the work that remains to be done. According to the India Voluntary National Review 2020, female labour force participation rate for the 15-59 age group is showing a declining trend and stands at 25.3%. This is one of the lowest rates in the world.

5) Women, particularly those from indigenous and marginalised communities, play a significant yet unsung role in various sectors. Comprising more than 50% of the agricultural labour force, and nearly 14% of all entrepreneurs, women’s relationship with the environment and the informal economy can be a useful lever of action to transform the lives and livelihoods of their families and communities.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

85)Consider following :

Two villages — Venkatraipur in Ganjam district and Noliasahi in Jagatsingpur district in Odisha — are now ‘Tsunami-Ready’. “This has to be replicated in other vulnerable coastal communities as it also enhances ability to respond to cyclones and storm surges too

1) The focus in recent times has been on enhancing community awareness and response through several capacity building activities, biennial Indian Ocean-wide tsunami drills and piloting of the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready initiative to provide a structured framework to build and measure capacities of coastal communities to respond effectively to tsunamis, through 11 important indicators.

2) In fact, for Indian Ocean earthquakes where the network of seismometers is reasonably good, quakes can now be detected in less than five minutes and a tsunami warning issued within 10 minutes if the quake occurs elsewhere in the globe,

3) India is much safer against the threat of tsunamis than it was in 2004, thanks to the state-of-the-art tsunami early warning system established in Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) , Hyderabad

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

86)Consider following with reference to live-streaming of court :

1) live-streaming would be the true realisation of the “open court system.”

2) CJI was taking stock of the virtual court system initiated after the lockdown

3) Each High Court could make rules for itself and trial courts under it for the virtual system. Uniform rules would prove difficult owing to the difference in connectivity and e-literacy.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

87)Consider following :

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is hoping that lockdowns and curfews in some countries in the event of a second or third wave of COVID-19 infections will not dent global energy demand as much as in the second quarter of this year when the world was virtually in lockdown mode.

1) The OPEC is keeping a ‘very close’ watch on the fresh surge of COVID-19 infections in Europe, prompting fresh lockdowns in some countries, as well as the virus’s trajectory in India and America.

2) “We were hopeful that the second half of 2020 would begin to see a recovery in the global economy as well as energy and oil demand… there were projections of a V-shaped recovery,” said OPEC secretary general.

3) “Unfortunately, both economic growth as well as demand recovery remain anemic at the moment, due largely to the virus spread,”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

88)Consider following with reference to Interest – on – interest :

Government indicated that the ex-gratia payment of interest-on-interest by banks and non-banking financial companies for the moratorium period (between March 1 and August 31) would amount to ₹7,500 crore of benefit for eligible borrowers. Lenders will not be impacted as the Centre had agreed to pick up the tab.

The benefit will be extended to borrowers with outstanding loans (standard as on February 29, 2020) of less than ₹2 crore under select categories, irrespective of whether the moratorium was availed of or not.

Such loans account for more than 40% of systemic credit and 75% of borrowers. The cost to the exchequer would have halved if the waiver were allowed only for cases where moratorium was availed of, it added.

1) More than 40% of system credit and 75% of borrowers stand to benefit from interest-on-interest concession announced by the government,

2) The amount will be the difference between compound interest and simple interest over six months (March 1 to August 31).2020

3) Borrowers who had availed of higher-yielding loans would benefit more than others.

Consequently, borrowers of unsecured, micro and gold loans will benefit more than those who had taken home loans.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

89)Consider following with reference to seven key drivers of change on India’s energy map:

1) accelerating efforts towards a gas-based economy; cleaner use of fossil fuels, particularly petroleum and coal;

2) greater reliance on domestic sources to drive biofuel; achieving the renewable energy target of 450 GW by 2030;

3) increasing the contribution of electricity to decarbonise mobility; moving into emerging fuels, including hydrogen; and digital innovation across all energy systems.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

90)Consider following :

2020 year has been challenging for the energy sector in India i.e., —

1) demand fell by almost one third; there has been price instability,

2) investment decisions have been impacted and leading global bodies project contraction in global energy demand over the next few years also.

3) But it is projected that India… as a leading energy consumer, set to double its energy consumption over the long term,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

91)Consider following with reference to India’s signing of the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement on geospatial cooperation (BECA) with the U.S. :

1) BECA will enable greater sharing of geospatial information between our armed forces.”

2) Apart from BECA, India and the U.S. also sealed an MoU on Technical Cooperation in Earth Observations and Earth Sciences, and an agreement to extend duration of the MoU regarding the Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership.

The two sides also signed an agreement on electronic exchange of customs data and a letter of intent regarding cooperation in traditional Indian medicines.

4) BECA enables exchange of geospatial data and information between the two countries and will improve the accuracy of India’s missiles in future during precision strikes. It will help share geospatial maps and charts between the U.S. and India, which may have been acquired from multiple sources like satellites, UAVs, reconnaissance aircraft, aerostats, among others, said director, Aerospace and Defence at U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum.

Data shared from BECA will help in identifying, updating and tracking of various types of target and their position, both on land and sea

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

92)Consider following

People, including investors, outside Jammu and Kashmir can now purchase land in the Union Territory as the Centre in October,2020 notified new land laws for the region, ending the exclusive rights enjoyed by the local population over land under the now-diluted Article 370.

1) Under the new J&K Development Act, the Centre has omitted the term “permanent resident of the State”, paving the way for investors outside J&K to invest in the Union Territory.

2) The Act enables transfer of land “in favour of a person or an institution for the purpose of promotion of healthcare or senior secondary or higher or specialised education in J&K”.

3) No land used for agriculture purposes shall be used for any non-agricultural purposes except with the permission of the district collector.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

93)Consider following :

In the year 2020, some Reports indicated that the Pakistan government is on the verge of declaring Gilgit-Baltistan a province of Pakistan.

1) Technically speaking Gilgit-Baltistan was a part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) at the time of Partition although Dogra rule sat very lightly on this region.

2) Much of it, particularly Gilgit, because of its strategic importance in the context of the Great Game in Central Asia, had been leased to the British by the Maharaja and was under the direct control of the British government until the lapse of suzerainty

3) Gilgit had its own British-officered local army, the Gilgit Scouts, which switched allegiance to Pakistan within a week of the Maharaja’s accession to India.

4) From the beginning Gilgit-Baltistan was governed as a separate entity by Pakistan and not as a part of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Islamabad had hesitated to declare it a province of Pakistan because of its claim that J&K is disputed territory and its future must be decided by a plebiscite among all its inhabitants.

5) China considers Gilgit-Baltistan very important because of its strategic location. It is contiguous to Ladakh as well as Xinjiang and could act as a staging post against India if a major conflict erupts in Ladakh

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

94)Consider following with reference to California fires :

1) Scientists have said climate change has made California much drier, meaning trees and other plants are more flammable. October and November are traditionally the worst months for fires, but already this year 8,600 wildfires in the state have scorched a record 16,600 sq. km and destroyed about 9,200 homes and other buildings.

2) Gusts pushed flames along brushy ridges in Silverado Canyon and near houses in the sprawling city of Irvine, home to about 2,80,000 residents. There was no containment.

3) Nearby, a much smaller fire in the Yorba Linda area prompted the evacuation of at least 10,000 people

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

95)Consider following with reference to North East Monsoon :

1) Tamil Nadu receives an average of 44 cm of rain during the northeast monsoon between October and December.

2) The average onset date is around October 20. (The northeast monsoon set in over the south peninsular region, including Tamil Nadu and Kerala, )

3) Northeasterly winds and a cyclonic circulation over the southwest Bay of Bengal, off the coast of northern Tamil Nadu, aid the commencement of the northeast monsoon. After an extended stay, the southwest monsoon retreated from the country (in October,2020) and paved the way for the onset of the northeast monsoon.

(in October, 2020 : Northeasterly winds and a cyclonic circulation over the southwest Bay of Bengal, off the coast of northern Tamil Nadu, aided the commencement of the northeast monsoon.. The cyclone over the Pacific Ocean, too, was drawing moisture away. The influence of the global weather pattern La Niña could also be a reason for the weak start of the monsoon)

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

96)Consider following with reference to RCEP :

1) New Delhi’s 2020’s decision not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the region’s flagship free trade arrangement, could potentially complicate the country’s future engagements in the region.

2) The RCEP decision, a direct result of domestic political compulsions in India, comes in the backdrop of the already huge gap between India and China on trade with almost every Indo-Pacific country.

3) The available information shows the gap that exists between Indian and Chinese trade with the major Indo-Pacific and Quad States. This growing trade gap that India and China have with these countries will be a major determining factor in shaping the region’s strategic realities

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

97)Consider following with reference to Deepfakes :

1) Deepfakes are a new tool to spread computational propaganda and disinformation at scale and with speed.

2) Deepfakes, hyper-realistic digital falsification, can inflict damage to individuals, institutions, businesses and democracy. They make it possible to fabricate media — swap faces, lip-syncing, and puppeteer — mostly without consent and bring threat to psychology, security, political stability, and business disruption

3) Deepfakes can depict a person indulging in antisocial behaviours and saying vile things. These can have severe implications on their reputation, sabotaging their professional and personal life. Even if the victim could debunk the fake via an alibi or otherwise, it may come too late to remedy the initial harm. Malicious actors can take advantage of unwitting individuals to defraud them for financial gains using audio and video deepfakes. Deepfakes can be deployed to extract money, confidential information, or exact favours from individuals.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

98)Consider following with reference to India-Central Asia Dialogue :

1) The second meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue jointly expressed support for the peace negotiations in Afghanistan, which is expected to usher in a new age for the war-torn country.(October,2020)

2) The Central Asian republics joined India on Wednesday in demanding destruction of “safe havens” of terrorism.

3) Among the key takeaways from the meeting was the announcement of an additional $1 billion Line of Credit by India for the Central Asian countries. It is expected that the money will be spent for major infrastructural and connectivity projects.

4) The joint statement highlighted the appreciation from the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and the First Deputy Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic for India’s “efforts to modernise the infrastructure of the Chabahar port in Iran, which could become an important link in trade and transport communications between the markets of Central and South Asia”.

5) Delivering his opening remarks, External Affairs Minister described the Central Asian region as India’s “extended neighbourhood”.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

99)Consider following with reference to National Infrastructrure Pipeline and UK :

1) India and the U.K. also signed off on a new infrastructure finance and policy partnership to help India execute its National Infrastructure Pipeline that envisages investments worth $1.4 trillion, at the 10th Economic and Financial Dialogue between the two countries steered by U.K. Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (October,2020)

2) There is possibility of announcing a series of ambitious initiatives across trade, infrastructure, sustainable finance and research [including] a new strategic partnership to develop the GIFT city, an opportunity to drive international capital flow from London to India,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

100)Consider following with reference to Annual Status of Education Report 2020 :

1) The survey found 43.6% of students in government schools without access to a smartphone, while 67.3% of those who received learning materials in these institutions got them over WhatsApp, underscoring the role played by gadgets and connectivity. On the other hand, only half the children got help with studies at home, a third got materials from teachers, and nearly 60% used textbooks.

2) ASER survey provides data that could facilitate intervention by the education system in some respects, even if, going forward, schools opt for a hybrid solution of partial reopening and online learning. Expanding availability of textbooks to all, including those who dropped out or are waiting to be formally admitted, will help parents and siblings aid learning. Bridging the divide on educational aids, now including smartphones, will enable transmission of learning materials, and personal tutorial sessions.

3) The ASER 2020 survey covering 26 States and four Union Territories has come up with striking findings, including one of a shift in enrolments from private schools to government institutions, of about five percentage points over 2018, ranging from class one to higher secondary levels

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c