KSP Civil PSI 2021 — Paper 2 - General Studies (GS)

Per the source, Sanjeev Singh is credited with composing India's theme song for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Karnataka was the first state to formally roll out implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Kaziranga National Park in Assam was the first in India to be equipped with satellite phones for its guards, aiding anti-poaching efforts.

SonChiraiya was launched to market products made by urban self-help groups (statement 1 correct); it falls under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, not the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (statement 2 incorrect).

India's highest-altitude/largest herbal park in this context has been inaugurated in Uttarakhand.

'Mandra' is a Kannada novel written by S.L. Bhyrappa.

Foreign contributions/grants received by NGOs in India are regulated under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).

Bhutan was the first foreign country to adopt India's BHIM-UPI digital payment system.

Jog Falls, one of India's highest waterfalls, is formed by the Sharavati river in Karnataka.

RBIA (Risk Based Internal Audit) is a supervisory framework the RBI extended to housing finance companies to strengthen their internal audit function based on risk assessment.

'White Vitriol' is the common name for zinc sulphate (ZnSO4).

The energy released in an atomic bomb comes from nuclear fission, the splitting of heavy atomic nuclei (like uranium/plutonium).

Kalhana's 'Rajatarangini', a chronicle of the kings of Kashmir, is written in Sanskrit.

In the Bhabru (Bairat) Minor Rock Edict, Ashoka refers to himself as the King of Magadha while expressing his faith in Buddhism.

The Aravalli Range is the oldest mountain range in India, among the oldest fold mountain systems in the world.

SAI (Save Animals Initiative) Sanctuary, India's first privately-owned wildlife sanctuary, is located in Kodagu district, Karnataka.

India's inflation target is jointly set by the Central Government (in consultation) and the Reserve Bank of India under the flexible inflation targeting framework.

The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) is located in Mysuru.

Groupware is software designed to help groups of people collaborate on shared tasks, documents and communication.

'Togalu Gombeyata' is a traditional leather shadow-puppetry art form of Karnataka.

The writ of Certiorari is issued by a higher court to quash the order of a lower court/tribunal that has exceeded its jurisdiction, effectively reviewing that court's functioning.

The Horn of Africa is generally understood to comprise Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea (and Ethiopia); Kenya is usually considered part of East Africa rather than the Horn.

Project BOLD (Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought), launched by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, aims to create bamboo-based green cover in arid/semi-arid areas.

The Asia Economic Dialogue, hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs (not Commerce and Industry), focuses on trade and finance dynamics across Asia and its extended neighbourhood.

National Handloom Day is observed on 7 August, commemorating the start of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905.

Neeraj Chopra's javelin throw gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was India's first-ever Olympic gold in a track & field event.

The Sentinelese and Jarawa are indigenous tribes of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands; Ulladan is a Kerala tribal community and Bakarwal is found in Jammu & Kashmir.

A lake formed by wind (aeolian) erosion/deposition processes is called an Aeolian lake.

The south-west monsoon indeed splits into the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal branches, shows 'breaks' in rainfall, and retreats as the pressure/wind belts shift southward — all three statements are correct.

The inter-ministerial committee chaired by Subhash Chandra Garg recommended banning private cryptocurrencies in India.

The Uttar Pradesh government announced a new Population Policy (2021-2030) aimed at population stabilization.

The Deccan Traps were formed by extensive flood basalt volcanic eruptions, and the region is characterised by fertile black (regur) soil derived from the weathered basalt.

Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) is a sub-scheme under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (not PMFBY), promoting traditional/natural farming free of synthetic chemicals, with cluster-based financial assistance over three years.

NASA's VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) mission is designed to explore the Moon's South Pole region for water ice.

Indian scientists discovered a new moss species, named 'Bryum bharatiensis', in Antarctica.

2-Deoxy-D-Glucose (2-DG), developed by DRDO, was approved as an adjunct anti-COVID-19 drug in India.

Agni-P (Agni-Prime) is a canisterised, nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a range of 1,000-2,000 km, test-fired by DRDO.

Journalist P. Sainath, known for his rural affairs reporting, was selected for the Fukuoka Prize.

K. Shivaram Karanth, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, U.R. Ananthamurthy, Girish Karnad and Chandrashekhara Kambara are all Kannada writers who have won the Jnanpith Award.

The Central Vigilance Commission submits its annual report to the President of India.

The 1917 Balfour Declaration expressed British support for a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.

NASA's DAVINCI+ and VERITAS missions are dedicated to studying Venus.

Oil Zapper, a bioremediation technology to clean up oil spills using a bacterial consortium, was developed by TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute).

The apparent shift in the positions of Earth's magnetic poles relative to a landmass over geological time is called polar wandering.

Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal are favoured by low pressure and sluggish wind conditions; high (not low) sea surface temperature is actually needed, so statement 2 is incorrect.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

The QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) comprises India, the USA, Japan and Australia.

'Winchcombe' refers to a rare carbonaceous chondrite meteorite that fell in Winchcombe, England, in 2021.

India's National Crisis Management Committee, dealing with natural/man-made disasters, is headed by the Cabinet Secretary.

In myopia (near-sightedness), the eyeball/lens focuses the image in front of the retina rather than on it.

Keshan disease, a cardiomyopathy, is caused by dietary deficiency of the trace element selenium.

India has been conducting/planning airborne radar surveys to estimate the thickness and volume of Himalayan glaciers.

In zero gravity, without buoyancy-driven convection to elongate it, a candle flame becomes spherical.

Article 80 empowers the President to nominate 12 members to the Rajya Sabha, chosen for their expertise in art, literature, science and social service.

The Public Accounts Committee has 22 members (15 from Lok Sabha, 7 from Rajya Sabha), a one-year term, and its main task is examining the CAG's reports on government accounts.

J.J. Thomson discovered the electron in 1897 through his cathode ray tube experiments.

Kambala, the traditional annual buffalo race, is held in coastal Karnataka.

The National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (Institute of Tibetan Medicine), under AYUSH, is established at Leh, Ladakh.

The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the President of India.

Under Article 352, a National Emergency can be proclaimed in case of war, external aggression, or armed rebellion.

Molakolukulu, Navara and Dubraj are indigenous/traditional Indian rice varieties.

The Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council is chaired by the Union Home Minister.

Part XVII of the Constitution deals with Official Languages, divided into chapters on the language of the Union, regional languages, language of the judiciary/texts of laws, and special directives.

The Pattadakal temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Malaprabha river, was built under the Chalukya (not Pandya) dynasty, and its Virupaksha temple was commissioned by Queen Lokamahadevi.

The oath of office to a Governor is administered by the Chief Justice of the concerned State High Court (or, in their absence, the senior-most judge).

Kota Doria, Ilkal Saree, Molakalmuru Saree, Balaramapuram Saree, Kuthampully Saree and Puneri Pagadi have all been granted Geographical Indication (GI) tags.

Patachitra is an ancient painting style practised in both Odisha and West Bengal, with the two states' distinct styles/motifs registered as separate GI tags.

Patrode, a dish made from Colocasia leaves popular in coastal Karnataka, was recognised in 2021 by the Ministry of AYUSH among traditional food recipes.

The Siddi community, of African (Habshi) descent, are found mainly in Gujarat, Karnataka and around Hyderabad, and are listed as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.

Naatupura Pattu is a Tamil Nadu folk song form, Lavani is from Maharashtra, Bhavageete is a Kannada (Karnataka) light-verse musical form, and Bhangra is from Punjab.

A Lok Adalat's award has the force of a civil court decree, and importantly it is final — no appeal lies against it.

Lord Ripon, who introduced local self-government resolutions in 1882, is regarded as the father of local self-government in India.

Shahtoosh shawls are woven from the fine underfur of the Tibetan antelope (Chiru), whose hunting has endangered the species.

The 97th Amendment made the right to form cooperative societies a Fundamental Right under Article 19(1)(c).

Traditionally, 108 Upanishads are recognised, though only about a dozen are considered the principal (Mukhya) Upanishads.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is observed on 31 October, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The Gayatri Mantra is found in the Rig Veda.

The Polavaram multipurpose irrigation project is built on the Godavari river.

'Phumdis', floating masses of vegetation and organic matter, are found in Loktak Lake, Manipur.

Microplastics are insoluble in water and contribute significantly to marine pollution; nylon (and its fibres/fragments) is one form of microplastic.

Plants adapted to grow in marshy/waterlogged soil are called helophytes.

The Baba Kalyani Committee was constituted to review and recommend reforms to India's Special Economic Zone (SEZ) policy.

The E-100 pilot project relates to the production and use of 100% ethanol-blended fuel.

The 'Carbis Bay Declaration', on preventing future pandemics, was adopted at the 2021 G-7 Summit held in Carbis Bay, UK.

'Blue Baby Syndrome' (methemoglobinemia) in infants is caused by excess nitrate contamination in drinking water.

'Mushaira', a poetry-recitation event organised by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, brings poets from across the country to recite verse, aimed at engaging younger audiences with the country's literary culture.

NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) provides refinance support for agricultural and rural credit in India.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has set up the National Centre for Divyang Empowerment (NCDE) for disabled personnel/dependents.

Seasonal temperature contrasts are maximum in the mid-latitudes, which experience pronounced summer-winter variation compared to tropical or polar regions.

A relief map depicts the elevation/physical features (hills, valleys, plains) of an area's surface.

The Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) mines in Karnataka are among the deepest mines in India, reaching several kilometres in depth.

Tropical rainforests exhibit the highest levels of biodiversity of any terrestrial ecosystem/vegetation type.

UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Programme designates biosphere reserves with Core, Buffer and Transition zones; Gulf of Mannar, Similipal and Pachmarhi are all Indian biosphere reserves.

The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 phase out identified single-use plastic items by 2022, with an exemption for compostable plastic products.

India's Deep Ocean Mission is implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) analyses and disseminates information on suspicious financial transactions, and functions under the administrative control of the Department of Revenue/oversight of the Finance Ministry.

The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan aims to coordinate multi-modal connectivity and holistic infrastructure development across India.

The Mekedatu multipurpose (drinking water-cum-power) project is proposed on the Cauvery river.

Bhubaneswar was reported as the first Indian city to achieve 100% first-dose COVID-19 vaccination coverage of its eligible population.

India's first synchronous census was conducted in 1881; the decennial Census is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner; the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 collected socio-economic data on various communities.