UPSC CSE Prelims 2014 — Paper 1 - General Studies (GS)

Administrative Aspect of Gupta Age/Terminologies Based on Ancient India: The terms "Kulyavapa" and "Dronavapa" denote land measures during the Gupta period. "Kulyavapa" represented the area to sow one kulya of grain, while "Dronavapa" indicated the area for one drona of grain, essential terminologies for agricultural management.

Trades and Commerce during Gupta Age The correct answer is Option (a): In India, trade with foreign empires dates to Harappan culture. Important among them were Lothal, Lakhabawal, Kindarkhera, Kuntasi, Megham, Prabhasa, Todio, and Amra. This tradition continued through the Mauryan and Gupta empires. India had commercial and cultural ties with nearly all of the Southeast Asian nations as well as Egypt, Rome, the Greeks, Arabs, and China. Chaul was one of the ports in Western India, with Kalyan, Broach, and Cambay. In the south were Kadura, Ghantsala, and Puhar (Kaveripattinam).

Ancient Indian Literature The Correct answer is Option (c): Panini was a contemporary of the Mahajanapada era (6th to 4th CE). He was a Sanskrit Grammarian known for writing Ashtadhyayi- a sutra style treatise on Sanskrit grammar. Pushyamitra Shunga started the Shunga dynasty by assassinating Brihadratha, the last ruler of the Magadha Empire, in 185 BCE. Pushyamitra Sunga was a Buddhist follower. Some historians have portrayed him as anti-Buddhist, but there is no credible evidence for the claim. He also constructed a stone gateway at Sanchi and restored Buddhist stupas at Barhut. He also patronized the Sanskrit grammar scholar Patanjali. Amarasimha was a Sanskrit grammarian and poet who lived in ancient India. Amarasimha was one of the nine gems that adorned the throne of Vikramaditya, and according to the accounts of Hieun Tsang, it is believed that he was the Chandragupta Vikramaditya (Chandragupta II) who flourished around 375 CE. Amarsimha is famous for his Sanskrit thesaurus- Amarakosha. Kalidasa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets and dramatists in Indian history. He generally draws inspiration from the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Puranas for his plays and poems. Kalidasa wrote three plays: Malavikagnimitram, Abhijnanasakuntalam, and Vikramorvasiyam. Two epic poems of Kalidasa are Raghuvamsa and Kumarasambhava. Kalidasa and Amarsimha were among the nine jewels of Chandragupta-II, also known as Chandragupta Vikramaditya.

Ashoka and His Dhamma: The Major Rock Edicts 7 and 12 advocate religious tolerance and honor for ascetics of all faiths. Ashoka’s Dhamma emphasized moral teachings without deity worship or sacrifices. He aimed to educate his subjects inspired by Buddha’s teachings, deploying dhamma mahamatta to spread his message through inscriptions.

Chronology of Regional Dynasty of Medieval India Nagabhatta I founded the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty in the Malwa region in the 8th century AD. The dynasty ruled Northern India from the mid-8th to the 11th century. Mihir Bhoja (836–885 CE) was the greatest ruler of the Pratihara dynasty. The Pallavas ruled southern India between the 6th and 9th centuries AD, with Kanchipuram as their capital. Mahendravarman I (c. 600–630) was a prominent ruler. The Cholas formed an empire that included most of South India in the 9th century, with Tanjore as their capital. Parantaka’s reign (907-953 CE) was significant. The Pala Empire, which began in Bengal, ruled throughout the post-classical period (8th and 9th century AD). The empire officially started with Gopala as Gauda’s emperor in 750 CE.

Medieval Terminology or keyword/Economic History of Medieval India Correct answer: Option (c): Hundis are used as a form of remittance instrument to transfer money, as credit instruments to borrow money, and as bills of exchange in trade transactions. The word "hundi" is derived from the Sanskrit word "hundika," first used in 914 AD. The Lekhapaddhati and Kalhan’s Rajatrangini (12th century) mention the use of hundika by kings, nobles, and possibly merchants. The Reserve Bank of India describes the Hundi as "an unconditional order in writing made by a person directing another to pay a certain sum of money to a person named in the order." Hundis promised payment of a sum of money to the bearer at a particular place, either immediately or afterward.

Peasant Movement

• Decline of Indigo Cultivation: By the early 20th century, indigo cultivation in India decreased due to the introduction of chemical colors that replaced indigo, making its production unprofitable in the global market.
• Indigo Revolt 1856-57:
  • Area: Bengal
  • Leaders: Bishnu Charan Biswas and Diagambar Biswas
  • Indigo's significant value earned it the nickname "blue gold" for its blue dye.
  • Reason: Peasants faced land loss and indebtedness due to poor output.
  • India's first peasant strike arose from forced indigo planting, driven by the profitable trade in blue dye.
  • Peasants boycotted indigo production and contracts, with support from other zamindars and the establishment of a favorable commission.
  • Intelligentsia, including Harsh Chandra Mukherjee (editor Hindu patriot) and Dinabandhu Mitra's play "Neel Darpan," bolstered the campaign's influence.

Tribal Movement Munda Rebellion:

• Prominent 19th-century tribal uprising in the subcontinent. Birsa Munda led the movement in south Ranchi during 1899–1900.
• Ulgulan, or "the Great Tumult," aimed to establish Munda Raj or Munda authority in the area. Reason for Revolt:
• In 1874, British replaced the traditional Khuntkari system with the zamindari system for Munda tribals.
• Introduction of zamindari system led to the creation of zamindars (landlords) and ryots (tenants).
• Monetization forced tribals to rely on cash for rent and daily needs.
• Forced reliance on moneylenders charging high interest rates. Birsa Munda:
• Tribal liberation warrior from the Munda tribe, revered as a folk hero.
• Spearheaded the Ulgulan movement against British colonization in 19th-century Bihar and Jharkhand.
• Known as the ‘Dharti Abba’ or Earth Father.
• Organized masses to stop paying debts/interest to moneylenders and taxes to British, leading a revolt against Victorian rule and establishment of Munda Rule in Jharkhand (Chotanagpur region).

Social Reform Organization: Dr. Rakhmabai (1864–1955)

• Indian physician and feminist.
• Involved in legal case regarding child marriage between 1884 and 1888.
• Married at 11 to Dadaji Bhikaji, who was 19.
• Bhikaji sought "restitution of conjugal rights" in 1885.
• Behramji Malabari and Pandita Ramabai formed Rakhmabai Defense Committee.
• Case ended in 1888 with compensation for Bhikaji.
• Led to drafting of Age of Consent Act in 1891. Statement 1: Incorrect. Rakhmabai's case didn't concern women's right to education. Statement 2: Correct. Rakhmabai's case influenced Age of Consent Act drafting. Statement 3: Correct. Rakhmabai married at 11, Bhikaji filed petition after 12 years.

Colonial Revenue Policy Keywords Pair 1: Incorrect - "Aurang" is a Persian term for a warehouse where goods are stored before sale. Pair 2: Correct - "Bania" (also "Vania") originates from Sanskrit "vanij," meaning "merchant." Banians served as agents for individual East India Company managers, handling tasks such as bookkeeping, interpreting, brokerage, and household management. They acted as intermediaries for European merchants in Bengal during the British era. Pair 3: Correct - "Mirasdar" in Urdu refers to hereditary landowners or co-proprietors, while "miras" in Persian means inheritance or estate. Under the Ryotwari settlement system in Southern India, the East India Company recognized mirasdars as sole landowners, negating tenants' rights. Although prohibited from selling land, they could lease it to tenants for cultivation at a nominal fee and were responsible for paying state revenue.

Impact of Industrial Revolution on indigenous industry The decline of Indian traditional cottage and handicraft industry resulted from the Industrial Revolution in England and India's colonization. Impact on India’s indigenous industry:

• Severe consequences were brought by the Industrial Revolution.
• Destruction of urban and rural handicraft industry under British Rule was significant.
• English textiles posed serious threats to Indian textiles in European and American markets.
• Indian textiles faced high taxes in Britain and were overshadowed by cheap, machine-made textiles in African markets.
• By the 1830s, inexpensive British products flooded Indian markets, impacting Indian textile industries.
• British machine-made textiles were more affordable and of higher quality.
• Industrial revolution negatively impacted the Indian handicraft industry.
• Decline of kings, chieftains, and zamindars expanded British dominion, affecting Indian handicrafts.
• India became both a raw material supplier and a finished goods market, turning into an economic colony.
• British items were inexpensive with minimal duty compared to Indian goods.

Literary Works during Indian National Movement Statements 1 and 2: The book "Desher Katha" meticulously chronicled the contributions of M. G. Ranade and D. Naoroji in a popular narrative, cautioning against the colonial state’s pervasive influence over the populace. "Desher Katha" profoundly impacted Bengal, inspiring the youth and galvanizing support for the Swadeshi Movement. Statement 3: Deuskar's use of the term 'desh' pertained to the entire nation.

Literary Works during Indian National Movement Gopal Baba Walangkar (1840-1900):

• Also known as Gopal Krishna, he hailed from the untouchable Mahar caste in Maharashtra.
• A pioneering social activist, Walangkar advocated for the liberation of untouchable communities from historical socio-economic oppression.
• He formulated a racial theory to elucidate oppression and launched the first journal targeting untouchable readership.
• Walangkar's "Vital-Vidhvansak" (Destroyer of Brahmanical or Ceremonial Pollution), initiated in 1888, was the first publication aimed at untouchable readers.
• He contributed articles to Marathi newspapers such as Sudharak and Deenbandhu and composed inspiring Marathi couplets.
• In 1889, Walangkar published "Vital Viduvansan" (Annihilation of Ceremonial Pollution), a pamphlet addressing the plight of untouchables and raising societal consciousness.
• Crafted as a collection of 26 questions, the pamphlet was directed at the Maharashtrian elite.

Reforms in Education during the British Time Fort William College (1800):

• Founded on 10 July 1800 in Calcutta, British India.
• Set up by Lord Richard Wellesley in 1800.
• Training civil servants of the Company in languages and customs of Indians.
• Court of directors of British East India Company initially opposed it.
• Closed in 1802; separate college established in England in 1807.

Gandhi-Irwin Pact: Statement 1: Pact signed by Gandhi and Lord Irwin before the Second Round Table Conference. Statement 2: Viceroy agreed to withdraw ordinances restricting INC activities. Statement 3: Viceroy rejected the demand for a public enquiry into police excesses. Statement 4: Political prisoners, except those guilty of violence, were released.

Buddhism Option (c) is correct: Paramitas are qualities to be perfected to attain a state of self-enlightened Universal Buddha (a samma sambuddha) prevalent in Eastern and Northern traditions.

• Paramitas are qualities to be perfected to attain a state of self-enlightened Universal Buddha (a samma sambuddha) prevalent in Eastern and Northern traditions.
• These are similar to the 4th Noble truth to attain the state of Bodhisattva.
• Following are the Ten Paramitas: Generosity, Morality, Patience, Energy, Meditation, Wisdom, Skillful means, Resolution, Power, Knowledge.

Buddhism Statement 1 is incorrect: After the 2nd Buddhist council in Vaishali (Bihar), Buddhism bifurcated into two factions- sthaviravada and mahasanghika, the basis of Hinayana (The lesser vehicle) and Mahayana (The greater vehicle) respectively.

• Hinayana followers stayed true to Buddha’s teaching, never practised idol worship, while Mahayana followers started believing in the heavenliness of Buddha, and idol worship in Buddhism began. Statement 2 is correct: Mahasanghika was further subdivided into lokottarvadin, kavya variks, kaukkitikas in coming years.
• Lokottarvadin was based on the philosophy of lokottar buddha or supernatural Buddha. Statement 3 is correct: The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghika fostered Mahayana Buddhism. They attributed divinity to Buddha and worship of Buddha in Statue form started which is still prevalent.

Places of historical importance Pair 1 is correct: Bhilsa is the medieval name of the modern-day Vidisha city of Madhya Pradesh, known as Besnagar in ancient times. King Ashoka served as the Governor of Vidisha during his father’s regime. Pair 2 is incorrect: Dwarasamudra was the capital of the Hoysala kingdom, known today as Halebidu in Karnataka. Pair 3 is correct: Girinagar, also known as Girnar or Revatak Parvat, is a group of mountains in the Junagadh district of Gujarat sacred to both Digambar and Swetambars branches of Jainism. Pair 4 is incorrect: Thanesar (Thaneshwar) is an old Hindu pilgrimage town of Haryana, ruled by King Harsha of the Vardhan dynasty.

Keywords of Ancient India/Buddhism Pair 1 is correct: The Sanskrit word Parivrajaka means renunciant & wanderer. Famous examples include Ajita Keshkambalin, Makhkhali Goshala, Gauthama Buddha, and Vardhamana Mahavira. Pair 2 is incorrect: Brahmins were intermediaries between God and followers, while Shramanas were a group of ascetics, monks, and lay followers who renounced worldly life to search for truth, without caste distinctions. Pair 3 is correct: Lay followers of Buddhism were known as Upsakas or Upasikas, followers who were not monks or nuns and took certain vows.

Siachen Glacier, situated northeast of the point NJ9842, is the world's highest battlefield.

The Mekong River flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia, while the Volga River runs through Russia into the Caspian Sea. The Thames River is in England, and the Zambezi River flows through Zambia to the Indian Ocean.

Oceanography Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT) predicts Indian monsoons better than Sea Surface Temperature (SST). OMT measures upper ocean thermal energy, crucial for monsoon forecasting.

Major Minerals in India Chromite, Kyanite, and Sillimanite are metallic minerals, primarily categorized as major minerals.

Jet Stream:

• Geostrophic wind blowing west to east across upper troposphere.
• Formation influenced by colliding air masses with different temperatures.
• Some cyclones develop an eye, absent in temperate cyclones.

Major crops Correct statement:

• Important pulse crops in India include chickpea, lentil, lathyrus, field pea, and kidney bean. Incorrect statements:
• Pulse production shares in 2018-19 do not match the provided percentages.
• Pulse production has increased in recent decades.

Major Crop Cotton:

• Grown in temperatures between 21-30°C with rainfall around 50-100 cm.
• Thrives in well-drained black cotton soil of the Deccan Plateau.
• Top cotton-producing states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan.
• Requires 210 frost-free days and abundant sunshine for growth.

Major Places and Rivers/Map based Option 1: Correct, Nagarahole River joins the Kabini River, a tributary of the Cauvery Option 2: Incorrect, Papikonda Park lies along the Godavari River Option 3: Correct, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve is at the confluence of Western and Eastern Ghats, near the Palar River Option 4: Correct, Kabini River flows through Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

1. Alma-Ata Declaration: This declaration, adopted in 1978, focused on primary healthcare and emphasized the importance of addressing the healthcare needs of all people, particularly those in developing countries. It aimed to achieve "Health for All" by the year 2000.
2. Hague Convention: The Hague Convention primarily deals with the rules and regulations governing international conventions during times of armed conflict, including the protection of cultural property during warfare. It does not specifically focus on biological and chemical weapons.
3. Talanoa Dialogue: The Talanoa Dialogue is a platform established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to facilitate discussions and consultations on global climate change. It involves sharing stories, ideas, and experiences to inform climate action.
4. Under2 Coalition: The Under2 Coalition is a global community of state and regional governments committed to keeping global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius. It focuses on climate change mitigation efforts rather than child rights.

Major Environmental Organization/Groundwater

• Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) manages India's groundwater resources.
• CGWA regulates groundwater extraction and collaborates with FAO.

Agriculture and Environment Fertigation:

• Technique integrating fertiliser into drip irrigation water.
• Practised in commercial agriculture and horticulture.
• Supplements nutrients and controls weed growth. Statements: 1. Correct - Drip irrigation avoids water spillage and promotes weed control. 2. Incorrect - Rock phosphate is not suitable for fertigation. 3. Correct - Accurate nutrient placement enhances plant absorption. 4. Correct - Reduces leaching of chemicals into water supply.

Sustainable Agriculture Benefits of Zero tillage or No-till farming:

• Reduces labour, fuel, irrigation, and machinery costs.
• Decreases soil erosion and increases water infiltration and storage capacity.
• Increases soil organic matter and carbon sequestration. Statements: 1. Correct - Zero tillage involves sowing seeds without prior land preparation. 2. Correct - Direct Seeded Rice with minimum or zero tillage enhances water-saving benefits. 3. Correct - No-till farming increases soil organic matter and carbon sequestration.

Sustainable Agriculture Different Methods of Sustainable Agriculture:

• Mixed cropping, legume intensification, crop rotation, tensiometer, and vertical farming promote sustainability.

1. Crop diversification: Crop diversification involves growing a variety of crops on the same piece of land over time. It helps in improving soil health, reducing pest and disease pressure, and enhancing biodiversity. This practice is considered eco-friendly as it promotes sustainable agriculture and reduces the reliance on chemical inputs.
2. Legume intensification: Legume intensification refers to the increased cultivation of leguminous crops, such as pulses and beans. Legumes have the ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, thereby reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. Additionally, they improve soil fertility and structure, making them an eco-friendly choice for agricultural practices.
3. Tensiometer use: Tensiometers are devices used to measure soil moisture levels. By accurately monitoring soil moisture, farmers can optimize irrigation practices, leading to water conservation and reduced water wastage. This practice contributes to eco-friendly agriculture by promoting efficient water management and reducing the environmental impact of irrigation.
4. Vertical farming: Involves growing crops in vertically stacked layers or structures, often indoors or in controlled environments. While vertical farming has its own benefits such as maximizing space utilization and reducing transportation distances, it may not necessarily be considered a practice of eco-friendly agriculture in all contexts, especially if it heavily relies on artificial lighting, energy-intensive systems, or non-renewable resources. Therefore, options 1, 2, and 3 align more closely with eco-friendly agricultural practices, making option (a) the correct choice.

Environment and Agriculture Biochar:

• Biochar is a high-carbon residue produced through modern pyrolysis processes.
• It consists of solid biochar, liquid bio-oil, and syngas.
• Benefits of biochar include increased agricultural output, protection from diseases, and enhanced soil fertility, especially in acidic soils.
• Its use in vertical farming can significantly enhance yield. Benefits:
• Carbon Sink: Biochar helps reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions into the atmosphere.
• Soil Improvement: It retains water and nutrients, improves soil fertility, and promotes the growth of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms.
• Water retention: Biochar attracts and retains water, making it desirable for soil use.

Air Pollution Option (a) is the correct answer: Exposure to benzene pollution is primarily from automobile exhaust, tobacco smoke, and wood burning. Benzene:

• A colourless or light-yellow liquid at room temperature with a sweet odour.
• Evaporates quickly into the air and may sink into low-lying areas.
• Slightly soluble in water and will float on top. Sources include volcanoes, forest fires, gasoline, cigarette smoke, and crude oil.
• Used in various industries to make plastics, resins, nylon, synthetic fibres, lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides.

Eco-Engineering National Policy on Biofuels 2018:

• The Policy classifies biofuels into "Basic Biofuels" and "Advanced Biofuels."
• Basic Biofuels include First Generation (1G) bioethanol & biodiesel, while Advanced Biofuels encompass Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG, etc.
• The Policy broadens the range of raw materials for ethanol production, allowing the use of Sugarcane Juice, Sugar containing materials like Sugar Beet, Sweet Sorghum, Starch containing materials like Corn, Cassava, Damaged food grains like wheat, broken rice, and Rotten Potatoes.

Air Pollution/Carbon Pricing/Carbon Emission

• The Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) measures the monetary value of long-term damage from a tonne of CO2 emissions in a given year.
• SCC estimates the economic damage resulting from emitting one ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
• It helps policymakers understand the economic impacts of decisions affecting emissions.
• India's country-level social cost of carbon emission was estimated at $86 per tonne of CO2, the highest among countries, followed by the US ($48) and Saudi Arabia ($47).
• Social Cost refers to the total cost borne by society due to the production of a commodity, also known as External Cost.

Air Pollution/Coal Ash

• Coal ash contains contaminants like mercury, cadmium, and arsenic, which can pollute waterways, groundwater, drinking water, and air without proper management.
• Burning fossil fuels like coal and oil produces sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, leading to acid rain.
• Indian Coal has higher ash content than imported coal due to the drift theory of coal deposit formation, resulting in higher ash content in coal seams formed by drift theory.

Hedgehogs: Small mammals with spines, Pangolins roll up into a ball when threatened.

Filter Feeders: Oysters, clams, krill, sponges, baleen whales.

Desert National Park Option (c) correct: Located in Rajasthan, showcases Thar Desert environment, with diverse flora and fauna.

Nagarjunsagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve Option (c) correct: Largest tiger reserve in India, spanning Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, diverse flora and fauna.

Kanha National Park Option (a) correct: Located in Madhya Pradesh, home to Swamp Deer and other species.

Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary & Gangotri National Park Option (a) correct: Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary conserves Musk Deer, while Gangotri National Park protects diverse fauna in Uttarakhand.

Environmental Laws Option (a) is the correct answer: The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 has six schedules. Schedule VI has provisions prohibiting cultivation of specified plants without a license granted by the Chief WildLife Warden.

Government Policies

• Steel slag, a by-product of steel making, is produced during the separation of molten steel from impurities.
• It solidifies into a complex solution of silicates and oxides.
• Correct statements: Steel slag used in road construction and cement production. It can also correct soil acidity.

Green Technologies

• Copper slag is a by-product of copper smelting and refining.
• It provides environmental and economic benefits in cement and concrete production.
• Cold mix asphalt is produced without heating mineral aggregate, suitable for light to medium trafficked roads.
• Coir-based geotextiles permitted for rural road construction under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
• Incorrect: Hot Mix Asphalt is environmentally polluting, and Portland cement is a major CO2 emitter.

Vaccines and Drugs Vaccines work by eliciting an immune response to antigens, protecting against infections. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines provide protection against pneumococcal illnesses, reducing the spread of bacterial illnesses and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Vaccine side effects may include fever, loss of appetite, fussiness, and headache.

Gene Therapy Gene therapy corrects gene mutations via cell injection.

1. Correct: Germline therapy repairs inherited mutations.
2. Correct: Embryonic editing prevents disease inheritance.
3. Correct: Intermediate stem cells show potential for development.

Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) enables machines to perform cognitive functions such as reasoning, perception, learning, and problem-solving. Intelligent systems have advanced significantly in data processing and computation power, enhancing productivity across various sectors like healthcare, entertainment, finance, and education. AI applications include disease diagnosis, music composition, and text-to-speech conversion. Google utilizes AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) to reduce energy consumption in data centers.

Communication Technology Visible Light Communication (VLC) uses visible light for data transmission, typically between 400 and 800 THz. VLC can transmit data directly or via surface reflection but cannot penetrate solid objects like walls, limiting its range. It offers high data speeds, surpassing Bluetooth, and utilizes LED lighting for communication. VLC, also known as Li-Fi, leverages the vast visible light spectrum to overcome RF bandwidth limitations, making it suitable for ubiquitous computing.

Blockchain Technology Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed digital ledger used for recording transactions across multiple computers. It ensures transaction transparency and integrity, making auditing feasible. Blockchain finds applications in supply chains, healthcare, banking, and smart contracts. Public blockchain networks eliminate the need for access control, allowing seamless app integration.

Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have various applications, including aerial spraying, volcano exploration, and collecting whale spray for health analysis.

Both plants and animals have eukaryotic cells with similar structures, including a plasma membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, ribosomes, and mitochondria.

Pronuclear transfer involves transferring pronuclei from a zygote to a donor egg to prevent the transmission of certain genetic diseases.

Solar water pumps use photovoltaic panels to power electric pumps, which can be centrifugal or piston pumps.

Tissue culture methods are used in sugarcane cultivation to produce disease-free seed cane, improving quality and yield.

Some nuclear reactors in India are kept under "IAEA Safeguards" while others are not due to international agreements and obligations. The correct option is (c) Some are operated by foreign enterprises and others are operated by domestic enterprises. Reactors operated by foreign enterprises or those that involve international collaborations are typically subject to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards to ensure compliance with nuclear non-proliferation agreements and to verify that nuclear materials are not diverted for military purposes. On the other hand, reactors operated solely by domestic enterprises may not be subject to such safeguards, as they fall under the jurisdiction of the Indian government and its regulatory agencies.

The term "Public Key Infrastructure" (PKI) refers to a digital security infrastructure used to facilitate secure communication and transactions over networks, particularly the internet. PKI involves the use of public and private cryptographic keys to encrypt and decrypt data, verify the identity of users, and ensure the integrity and authenticity of information exchanged between parties. Given this context, the correct option is : (a) Digital security infrastructure

Nanotechnology
Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs): Cylindrical molecules of rolled-up single-layer carbon atoms. Can efficiently deliver drugs to specific cells due to their large surface area. NASA uses CNTs in biochemical sensors for diagnostic devices. CNTs can be degraded by microbes.

Space Technology/Space Mission
Evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA) aims to study the gravitational universe. ESA selected eLISA as a large-class mission for launch in 2034, involving daughter and mother spacecraft forming a precision interferometer.

Preamble as Part of the Constitution The status of the Preamble:

• SC judgments:
• Berubari Union Case (1960) viewed the Preamble as explanatory but not a part of the Constitution.
• Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973) and LIC of India Case (1995) deemed the Preamble integral to the Constitution, amendable with safeguards.

Features of the Directive Principles

• DPSPs, borrowed from the Constitution of Ireland, promote a welfare state, ensuring justice, social, economic, and political, for all citizens.

Features of the Directive Principles

• DPSP, outlined in Articles 36 to 51, offers guidelines for governance without legal enforceability, aiming at socio-economic justice.

Liberal-Intellectual Principles

• Article 50 advocates separation of judiciary from the executive, reflecting Liberal-Intellectual Principles promoting liberty and democratic values. The separation of judiciary from the executive is a fundamental principle of the Indian Constitution, aimed at ensuring the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. This principle is enshrined in the Directive Principles of State Policy, which are guidelines for the government to follow in the governance of the country. Option (b) is the correct choice because it reflects this constitutional provision. The Preamble of the Constitution sets out the aims and objectives of the Constitution, while the Seventh Schedule deals with the distribution of powers between the Union and the States. The separation of judiciary from the executive is not merely a conventional practice but a constitutional mandate aimed at upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Application part of DPSPs

• Free legal services, provided under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, target vulnerable groups, ensuring access to justice regardless of economic status.
• Transgender individuals are eligible for free legal aid up to Rs. 2,00,000, but Other Backward Classes (OBCs) are not specifically mentioned.
• Elderly citizens' eligibility for free legal assistance depends on state rules, often requiring income limits.

System of Government - Parliamentary: In a parliamentary system, the executive is accountable to the electorate through a periodically elected legislature. India follows this system, where the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers are responsible to the Lok Sabha, termed Collective Responsibility.

System of Government - Constitutional: A constitutional government operates within the framework of a constitution to prevent autocracy and safeguard individual liberty. In India, government powers are limited by Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Constitution.

Right to Equality

• Articles 14 to 18 cover equality before law, non-discrimination, and abolition of untouchability and titles.
• Articles 23 & 24 deal with the Right Against Exploitation, and Articles 19 - 21 with the Right to Freedom.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• The objectives of the Preamble reflect principles in the UDHR.
• Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs) resemble principles in UDHR Article 22.
• Fundamental duties (Article 51A) complement human rights.

Major Political Theories Gandhism and Marxism share the goal of a stateless and classless society but differ in means. Marx views the state as an instrument of class oppression, advocating for class struggle and revolution. Gandhi prefers minimal state and local self-governments over force.

Basic Understanding of Executive Bureaucracy, the executive arm of government, employs state officials to manage state affairs. It provides continuity of policies and execution, focusing on implementation rather than political stability.

People’s Representative Statement 1: Incorrect. State legislature members must be at least 30 or 25 years old, depending on the chamber. Statement 2: Incorrect. A person convicted and sentenced for over two years is disqualified for six years.

Sessions of Parliament Statement 1: Correct. The President can summon Parliament with a six-month gap between sessions. Statement 2: Incorrect. Conventionally, Parliament holds three sessions annually. Statement 3: Correct. No minimum days are stipulated for Parliament's yearly sessions.

Rajya Sabha Rajya Sabha shares equal powers with Lok Sabha in impeaching the President, vice-president removal, constitutional amendments, and judge removal. However, it has limitations in financial matters. Additional Information:

• Rajya Sabha has exclusive authority in creating All India Services.
• It lacks power over government removal and financial matters compared to Lok Sabha.

Annual Financial Statement The FRBM Act, 2003 mandates presenting a Macro Economic Framework Statement to Parliament, covering GDP growth, fiscal balance, and external sector balance.

MPLADS

1. Correct: MPLADS enables MPs to recommend developmental works focusing on local needs.
2. Correct: MPs must allocate at least 15% for Scheduled Caste areas and 7.5% for Scheduled Tribe areas.
3. Incorrect: MPLADS funds are non-lapsable, carrying over to the next year.
4. Correct: District authorities must inspect at least 10% of works annually and involve MPs.

Basic Structure of Indian Constitution

• Basic Structure includes core values like federalism, secularism, fundamental rights, and democracy.
• Cannot be amended by parliament under Article 368.
• Various Supreme Court judgments establish the Basic Structure Doctrine.

BoP India's trade deficit and service surplus affect the current account balance, reflecting trade competitiveness.

Crude Oil Trade:

• Approximately 160 crude oils are traded internationally, differing in characteristics and quality.
• Main benchmarks: West Texas Intermediate and Brent Crude.

WTO Agreements:

• TRIMs impose quantitative restrictions on imports by foreign investors, aiming to prevent trade-restrictive effects.
• TRIMs apply only to investment measures related to trade in goods.
• TRIMs do not directly affect WTO members’ ability to regulate foreign investment.

Economic Reforms:

• Rural and urban areas witnessed changes in worker productivity and income levels.
• Shift towards urbanization decreased rural workforce share.
• Rural economy diversified with increased non-agricultural activities.
• Rural employment growth slowed post-2004 despite output growth.

Government Policies (Rice Prices):

• MSP, govt. trading, and stockpiling affect rice prices.
• Consumer subsidies lower rice prices.

Agriculture Fertilizer:

• Govt. administers fertilizer prices to support farmers.
• Ammonia's uses and production details.

Public Investment in Agriculture:

• Public investment includes credit societies, social capital, and cold storage.
• MSP and electricity subsidies aren't categorized as public investment.

Agricultural Credit (Kisan Credit Card): The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme provides short-term credit support to farmers for various agricultural purposes.

1. Working capital for maintenance of farm assets: Farmers can use the credit for day-to-day expenses related to maintaining their farm assets, such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and labor costs.
2. Purchase of combine harvesters, tractors, and mini trucks: Farmers can utilize the credit to invest in agricultural machinery and equipment, such as tractors and harvesters, to improve efficiency and productivity.
3. Post-harvest expenses: The credit can be used to cover expenses incurred after the harvest, such as storage, transportation, processing, and marketing of agricultural produce.
4. Construction of family house and setting up village cold storage facility: In addition to agricultural purposes, the credit can also be used for non-farm activities like constructing a family house or setting up cold storage facilities in the village. Option (d) 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 includes all the purposes mentioned above, making it the correct choice. The KCC scheme aims to provide comprehensive financial assistance to farmers to meet their diverse agricultural and household needs, thereby promoting rural development and improving farmers' livelihoods.

MSP:

• MSP procurement isn't open-ended.
• Market prices can fluctuate irrespective of MSP.

Inflation:

• WPI measures wholesale price changes, excluding services.
• CPI indicates retail-level price changes, including services.
• RBI adopted CPI (combined) as the key inflation measure in 2014.

Functions of IMF Reserve Tranche:

• Portion of required currency quota provided to IMF members for own use without service fee or economic reform conditions.
• Serves as an emergency account.
• Considered as last resort facilities for nations, used before formal credit tranche requests.
• No interest costs for initial 25% tranche; additional items incur service charge.

Instruments of Money Market

• Correct: Commercial Paper finances working capital needs, issued as unsecured promissory notes.
• Incorrect: Certificate of Deposit issued by banks, freely transferable, with maturity ranging from 91 days to 1 year.
• Correct: Call money used by banks for short-term liquidity needs, borrowed and lent daily.
• Incorrect: Zero coupon Bond issued at a discount, no interest payments, usually long-term.

Mechanism to Counter Financial Crisis

• Statement 1: Correct; Global economic crises pose challenges for both creditor and debtor nations.
• Statement 2: Incorrect; Increased exposure to foreign banks raises risks during global crises; strengthening domestic banks is more beneficial.
• Statement 3: Incorrect; Full capital account convertibility can lead to "Capital flight" during a crisis.

Demand and Supply of Money

• Demand Deposit: Funds in a bank account that can be withdrawn at any time; does not affect money supply when withdrawn. When you withdraw Rs. 1,00,000 in cash from your Demand Deposit Account, it simply transfers existing money from your account to your pocket. It does not create or destroy money in the economy; it merely changes the form in which the money exists. Therefore, there is no immediate effect on aggregate money supply in the economy.

Banking Interest

• Statements 1 & 2: Correct; Interest coverage ratio measures a company's ability to pay debt interest.
• Statement 3: Incorrect; Higher coverage ratio indicates easier debt interest payments.

Monetary Policy

• Statement 1: Incorrect; Reducing SLR increases bank liquidity, stimulating growth.
• Statement 2: Correct; Increased MSF rate raises borrowing costs for banks.
• Statement 3: Incorrect; Expansionary policy lowers repo and bank rates to boost liquidity.

Cooperative Banking

• Statement 1: Incorrect; Rural cooperative lending focuses on agriculture but contributes only 12.1% compared to SCBs.
• Statement 2: Correct; DCCBs gather public deposits and provide credit to the public and PACS.

The G20, or Group of Twenty, is an international forum of the world's major economies, consisting of 19 individual countries plus the European Union. The countries listed in option (a) - Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey - are all members of the G20. Argentina and Mexico represent the Latin American region, South Africa represents the African continent, and Turkey represents the Middle East and Europe. Therefore, option (a) is the correct choice as it includes all countries that are members of the G20.

1. The first statement regarding the value of Indo-Sri Lanka trade consistently increasing in the last decade is incorrect. The trade value may have fluctuated over the years, but there is no information provided to support a consistent increase.
2. The second statement about "Textile and textile articles" constituting an important item of trade between India and Bangladesh is correct. Textiles are indeed a significant component of trade between the two countries.
3. The third statement stating that Nepal has been the largest trading partner of India in South Asia in the last five years is incorrect. India's largest trading partner in South Asia is generally considered to be either Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, depending on the specific time period and the metrics used.

In India, under cyber insurance for individuals, the benefits generally covered include:

1. Cost of restoration of the computer system in case of malware disrupting access to one’s computer.
2. Cost of hiring a specialized consultant to minimize the loss in case of cyber extortion.
3. Cost of defence in the Court of Law if any third party files a suit. Option (b) 1, 3, and 4 only is the correct choice. This option includes the benefits mentioned in points 1, 3, and 4, which are commonly covered under cyber insurance for individuals in India. These benefits aim to provide financial assistance and support to individuals in case of cyber-related incidents, such as malware attacks, cyber extortion, and legal disputes.

1. Statement 1 is incorrect. Aadhaar metadata can be stored for up to six months, as per the Aadhaar Act.
2. Statement 2 is correct. The state cannot enter into any contract with private corporations for sharing of Aadhaar data, as per the Aadhaar Act.
3. Statement 3 is incorrect. Aadhaar is not mandatory for obtaining insurance products.
4. Statement 4 is correct. Aadhaar is mandatory for getting benefits funded out of the Consolidated Fund of India, as per various government schemes. Therefore, option (b) 2 and 4 only is the correct choice.

Debt Financing Debt financing covers public and non-financial debts, including housing loans and credit card balances.

Foreign Investment – FDI (a) FDI entails investment in Indian companies by non-residents, involving capital instruments. (b) FDI is primarily a non-debt creating capital flow, distinguishing it from debt obligations. (c) Debt servicing involves regular repayment of interest and principal, not applicable to FDI. (d) FDI investments can be in equities or debt instruments issued by the company, not directly in government securities.