KPSC SDA 2015 — Paper 3 - General Studies (GS)

The Cabinet Mission rejected partition because it would not resolve the minorities issue, would go against the wishes of Bengal/Punjab's people, and would necessitate dividing the Sikh community — all three reasons applied.

The ruler of Junagadh wanted to accede to Pakistan but failed, as the state eventually joined India after a plebiscite.

Kittur was annexed by the British (leading to the Kittur Rani Chennamma revolt) rather than through Lord Dalhousie's Doctrine of Lapse.

National Girl Child Day is observed on 24th January.

The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 (not 1775), Robert Clive was victorious, and the seizure of Bengal and Bihar was a decisive step in British territorial expansion — statements (b) and (c) are correct, while (a) has an incorrect date.

Under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, a person is considered a senior citizen upon attaining 60 years of age.

Article 45 of the Constitution addresses early childhood care and education for children below 6 years of age.

The Rajya Sabha does not have the power to reject a constitutional amendment bill in the way it can with ordinary bills, since amendment bills require passage by both Houses independently.

Deficiency of Nicotinic Acid (Niacin/Vitamin B3) causes Pellagra.

The Attorney-General of India has the right of audience in all courts within the territory of India, but no other special privileges beyond that.

The National Institute for the Visually Handicapped is located in Dehradun.

The Indian Foreign Service is not classified as an All India Service, unlike the IAS, IPS and IFoS (Forest Service).

The 89th Constitutional Amendment Act bifurcated the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes into two separate commissions.

The Bhopal Gas Tragedy occurred due to the release of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas.

The Government of India Act, 1935 introduced a three-tier division of powers into federal, provincial and concurrent lists.

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha decides whether a bill is a Money Bill.

Acid rain is mainly caused by air pollution (sulphur/nitrogen oxide emissions).

The Sundarbans are characterised by mangrove forests.

Temperature decreases as we move from the Stratopause towards the Mesopause in the atmosphere.

Endangered species are documented in the Red Data Book.

Methane (CH4) is a main pollutant/greenhouse gas emitted from rice fields due to anaerobic decomposition.

Kaziranga National Park is famous for the Indian (one-horned) Rhinoceros.

The Kyoto Protocol was a landmark in global climate negotiations for introducing a systematic approach to carbon trading.

The Biosphere includes all of the listed zones/components (lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere regions supporting life).

India's forest cover is currently around 21% of its total geographical area.

Solar energy is a renewable source of energy.

The Finance Commission decides the distribution of net proceeds of personal income tax between the Central and State Governments.

Solar energy is the primary source of energy on Earth.

Global warming causes multiple effects, including rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and extreme weather events — all of the listed effects.

If a rise in the price of X increases demand for Y, then X and Y are substitute goods (consumers switch to Y when X becomes costlier).

Regional Rural Banks give direct loans to poor farmers, artisans and craftsmen, particularly in backward/hilly areas.

SEBI's functions include protective, regulatory and developmental functions covering the securities market — all of the listed functions.

The State Co-operative Bank sits at the apex of the short-term agricultural co-operative credit structure.

The Balabandhu Samaj was organised by Krishna Rao Haldipurakar.

The Varahi Underground Hydro-Electric Project is located in the Udupi/Mangalore region of Karnataka.

Bellary was among the first places in Karnataka to receive air transport services, in 1932.

'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India' was written by Dadabhai Naoroji.

Foot and Mouth Disease in cattle and buffaloes is caused by a virus.

Breeding cattle and buffaloes using semen (rather than natural mating) is called artificial insemination.

Louis Pasteur developed the vaccine against Rabies.

Dr. Verghese Kurien is known as the Father of the White Revolution in India.

India is the world's highest producer of milk.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is regarded as the founding figure behind India's Five Year Plans.

The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) aims to improve the health system and health status of people, especially in rural areas.

Karnataka's fertility rate was reported at around 1.9 as per the referenced data.

JSY stands for Janani Suraksha Yojana, a maternal health scheme.

In India, inflation has traditionally been measured using the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), alongside the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

NRLM (National Rural Livelihoods Mission) is a Self Employment Scheme.

Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services is often cited as one of the fastest-growing sectors of the Indian economy.

Yadgir district has been reported as having the lowest per capita income in Karnataka.

Promoting the formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) is not a stated objective of MGNREGS, whose core focus is providing guaranteed wage employment.

NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission.

Electronics, Computer Software and Biotechnology form the largest group of exports from Karnataka.

RIDF stands for Rural Infrastructure Development Fund.

The differences between consecutive terms (1, 4, 7, 10, 13) increase by 3, so the next difference (13) added to 26 gives 39.

Standing up raises the effective center of mass and shortens the effective pendulum length of the swing, decreasing the time period.

Radioactive substances emit alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays, but not neutrons as a standard type of radioactive emission.

The ozone layer absorbs harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.

Let middle piece = x; longest = 3x; shortest = 3x-23; total: x+3x+(3x-23)=40, solving gives x=9, so shortest = 3(9)-23 = 4 cm.

Each letter is shifted forward by 3 places: A-P-R-I-L becomes D-S-U-L-O; applying the same shift to A-U-G-U-S-T gives D-X-J-X-V-W.

Cost per kg = 88/80 = 1.1 Rs; selling price for 20kg equals the loss amount, so setting up the loss equation gives a selling price of 88 paise per kg.

Using the work constant (men x days = 40x20 = 800 man-days), 50 men would take 800/50 = 16 days.

Eukaryotic cells are characterised by having a true, membrane-bound nucleus.

Goa is a full-fledged state of India, not a Union Territory (unlike Chandigarh, etc.).

With cost Rs.9000 and 30% gain, selling price = Rs.11700; since this represents 80% of the marked price (after a 20% discount), marked price = 11700/0.8 = Rs.14,625.

P. Lankesh is cited as not being a Jnanpith awardee, per the given answer.

The 'Bhusa Uproar' (Bhusa Chaluvali) in Karnataka was raised by B. Basavalingappa.

The Government of India Act, 1935 provided for the establishment of Union and State (Provincial) Public Service Commissions for the first time.

Nerve cells do not divide because they lack a centrosome, which is required for cell division/mitosis.

As per the 2011 Census, India's sex ratio was 940 females per 1000 males.

'AB' blood group individuals have both A and B antigens but no A or B antibodies (not 'A antigen and B antibodies' as falsely stated) — making this the incorrect statement.

Carbon monoxide (CO) pollution reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of human blood by binding haemoglobin more strongly than oxygen.

All vertebrates share the common feature of having both an internal skeleton and a backbone.

Only about 3% of the Earth's total water is fresh water.

Tamil was the first Indian language to be granted classical language status by the Government of India (in 2004).

This matches islands with their locations: Java - Indonesia, Honshu - Japan, Victoria Island - Canada, Tasmania - Australia.

The financial committees of Parliament (Public Accounts Committee, Estimates Committee, Committee on Public Undertakings) perform multiple oversight functions collectively — 'all of the above' fits.

The Right to Property was removed as a Fundamental Right by the 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978.

The Directive Principles of State Policy were borrowed from the Irish Constitution.

The Indian Constitution (under the 42nd and 86th Amendments) lists 11 Fundamental Duties.

Article 17 of the Constitution abolishes untouchability.

The Bhakhra Dam is constructed on the Sutlej river.

Article 21 guarantees that no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.

The RBI (Reserve Bank of India) decides the Bank Rate.

The total membership of a State Legislative Council should not exceed one-third of the total membership of the State Legislative Assembly.

The Earth's atmosphere gains most of its heat from terrestrial (Earth) radiation rather than directly from incoming solar radiation.

This matches: Fossil Fuel - Coal/Petroleum/Natural gas, Water - Hydroelectric power, Geothermal - Energy from earth's heat, Wind - Wind energy.

This matches regional crop associations: Punjab - Sonamasuri Rice (per the given answer), Maharashtra - Potato, Kerala - Coconut, Uttar Pradesh - small cereals.

The Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) Dam was named after Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore.

'Bayalu Seeme' refers to the Deccan Plateau region of Karnataka.

This matches minerals with industries: Mica - Electric Industry, Bauxite - Aluminium Industry, Manganese - Steel alloys Industry, Lignite - Thermal Industry.

This matches Indian Railway zones with headquarters: South Western Railway - Hubli, Central Railway - Mumbai, Southern Railway - Chennai, Northern Railway - New Delhi.

The Harappan Civilization's spatial spread included Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan and Gujarat — all three regions.

'Harshacharita', an important source for the early history of Harshavardhana's rule, was authored by Banabhatta.

Nalanda, a major centre of higher education, was patronised by Harshavardhana.

Buddhism gained popularity due to the simplicity of its teachings (compared to complex Vedic rituals), Buddha's use of Pali (the language of the common people), and the inclusion of women in the Sangha — all three factors applied.

The Kakatiyas, Sevunas (Yadavas) and Hoysalas ruled as feudatories of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani.

The Non-Cooperation Movement had a nationwide spread, involved peasants, workers, artisans, traders and professionals, and saw significant Muslim participation (linked with the Khilafat Movement) — all three statements are correct.

The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-31) involved non-payment of taxes and boycott of foreign cloth/liquor, but was largely non-violent by design, so widespread violent youth protests is not attributed as a direct result — statements (a) and (b) are correct.

The Simon Commission was boycotted because it was an all-British Commission with no Indian members, ignored the demand for responsible self-government, and rejected the idea of an all-India review body as demanded — all three reasons applied.