UPSC Prelims 2018 — Every Question with Answer and Explanation

Consider the following pairs: Tradition: State 1. Chapchar Kut festival: Mizoram 2. Khongjom Parba ballad: Manipur 3. Thang-Ta dance: Sikkim Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?

With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements: 1. PSLVs launch the satellite useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites. 2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth. 3. GSLV Mk III is a four staged launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors; and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In which of the following areas can GPS technology be used? 1. Mobile phone operations 2. Banking operations 3. Controlling the power grids Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which of the following is/are the possible consequence/s of heavy sand mining in river beds? 1. Decreased salinity in the river 2. Pollution of groundwater 3. Lowering of the water-table Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parliamentary Committees scrutinise and report to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws, etc. conferred by the Constitution or delegated by the Parliament are being properly exercised by the Executive within the scope of such delegation?

Consider the following statements: Human capital formation as a concept is better explained in terms of a process which enables: 1. Individuals of a country to accumulate more capital. 2. Increasing the knowledge, skill levels and capacities of the people of the country. 3. Accumulation of tangible wealth. 4. Accumulation of intangible wealth. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

If a commodity is provided free to the public by the Government, then

Consider the following statements: 1. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) is the amount that banks have to maintain in the form of their own funds to offset any loss that banks incur if the account-holders fail to repay dues. 2. CAR is decided by each individual bank. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which one of the following statements correctly describes the meaning of legal tender money?

Regarding Money Bill, which of the following statements is not correct?

India enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 in order to comply with the obligations to:

After the Santhal Uprising subsided, what was/were the measure/measures taken by the colonial government? 1. The territories called ‘Santhal Paraganas’ were created. 2. It became illegal for a Santhal to transfer land to a non- Santhal. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following pairs: Towns sometimes mentioned in news Country 1. Aleppo Syria 2. Kirkuk Yemen 3. Mosul Palestine 4. Mazar-i-sharif Afghanistan Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

When the alarm of your smartphone rings in the morning, you wake up and tap it to stop the alarm which causes your geyser to be switched on automatically. The smart mirror in your bathroom shows the day’s weather and also indicates the level of water in your overhead tank. After you take some groceries from your refrigerator for making breakfast, it recognises the shortage of stock in it and places an order for the supply of fresh grocery items. When you step out of your house and lock the door, all lights, fans, geysers and AC machines get switched off automatically. On your way to the office, your car warns you about traffic congestion ahead and suggests an alternative route, and if you are late for a meeting, it sends a message to your office accordingly. In the context of emerging communication technologies, which one of the following terms best applies to the above scenario?

With reference to the circumstances in Indian agriculture, the concept of “Conservation Agriculture” assumes significance. Which of the following fall under the Conservation Agriculture? 1. Avoiding the monoculture practices 2. Adopting minimum tillage 3. Avoiding the cultivation of plantation crops 4. Using crop residues to cover soil surface 5. Adopting spatial and temporal crop sequencing/crop rotations Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to agricultural soils, consider the following statements: 1. A high content of organic matter in soil drastically reduces its water holding capacity. 2. Soil does not play any role in the sulphur cycle. 3. Irrigation over a period of time can contribute to the salinization of some agricultural lands. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements: 1. The Parliament of India can place a particular law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of India. 2. The validity of a law placed in the Ninth Schedule cannot be examined by any court and no judgement can be made on it. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements: 1. The Reserve Bank of India manages and services Government of India Securities but not any State Government Securities. 2. Treasury bills are issued by the Government of India and there are no treasury bills issued by the state Governments. 3. Treasury bills are issued at a discount from the par value. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements: 1. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly shall vacate his/her office if he/she ceases to be a member of the assembly. 2. Whenever the Legislative Assembly is dissolved, the Speaker shall vacate his/her office immediately. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Why is a plant called Prosopis juliflora often mentioned in the news?

Which among the following events happened earliest?

Consider the following statements: 1. The quantity of imported edible oils is more than the domestic production of edible oils in the last five years. 2. The Government does not impose any customs duty on all the imported edible oils as a special case. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; stayed in America for some time, and was also elected to the Central Assembly. He was

With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following statements: 1. White marble was used in making Buland Darwaza and Khankah at Fatehpur Sikri. 2. Red sandstone and marble were used in making Bara Imambara and Rumi Darwaza at Lucknow. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Despite being a high saving economy, capital formation may not result in significant increase in output due to:

Regarding Wood’s Dispatch, which of the following statements are true? 1. Grants-in-Aid system was introduced. 2. Establishment of universities was recommended. 3. English as a medium of instruction at all levels of education was recommended. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following statements: 1. Light is affected by gravity. 2. The Universe is constantly expanding. 3. Matter warps its surrounding space-time. Which of the above is/are the prediction/predictions of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, often discussed in the media?

Consider the following statements: 1. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in Indian territory. 2. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar. 3. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In which one of the following States is Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary located?

If the President of India exercises his power as provided under Article 356 of the Constitution of a particular State, then

Consider the following: 1. Areca nut 2. Barley 3. Coffee 4. Finger millet 5. Groundnut 6. Sesamum 7. Turmeric The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has announced the Minimum Support Price for which of the above?

Consider the following statements 1. Most of the world’s coral reefs are in tropical waters. 2. More than one-third of the world’s coral reefs are located in the territories of Australia, Indonesia and Philippines. 3. Coral reefs host far more animal phyla than those hosted by tropical rainforests. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

“Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now” is an initiative launched by

Which reference to the religious practices in India, the “Sthanakvasi” sect belongs to

In 1920, which of the following changed its name to “Swarajya Sabha”?

Which of the following statements best describes “carbon fertilization”?

Consider the following statements: 1. No criminal proceedings shall be instituted against the Governor of a State in any court during his term of office. 2. The emoluments and allowances of the Governor of a State shall not be diminished during his term of office. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Right to Privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of Right to Life and Personal Liberty. Which of the following in the Constitution of India correctly and appropriately imply the above statement?

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a UN mechanism to assist countries transition towards greener and more inclusive economies, emerged at

With reference to educational institutions during colonial rule in India, consider the following pairs: Institution Founder: 1. Sanskrit College at Benaras - William Jones 2. Calcutta Madrasa - Warren Hastings 3. Fort William College - Arthur Wellesley Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?

Which of the following are regarded as the main features of the “Rule of Law”? 1. Limitation of Powers 2. Equality before law 3. People’s responsibility to the Government 4. Liberty and civil rights Select the correct answer using the code given below:

In the Federation established by the Government of India Act of 1935, residuary powers were given to the:

Which one of the following reflects the most appropriate relationship between law and liberty?

Increase in absolute and per capita real GNP does not connote a higher level of economic development, if:

With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following statements: 1. Most of the Tyagaraja Kritis are devotional songs in praise of Lord Krishna. 2. Tyagaraja created several new ragas. 3. Annamacharya and Tyagaraja are contemporaries. 4. Annamacharya Keertanas are devotional songs in praise of Lord Venkateshwara. Which of the statements given above are correct?

How is the National Green Tribunal (NGT) different from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)? 1. The NGT has been established by an Act whereas the CPCB has been created by an executive order of the Government. 2. The NGT provides environmental justice and helps reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts whereas the CPCB promotes cleanliness of streams and wells, and aims to improve the quality of air in the country. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The staple commodities of export by the English East Indian Company from Bengal in the middle of the 18th century were

Consider the following 1. Birds 2. Dust blowing 3. Rain 4. Wind blowing Which of the above spread plant diseases?

With reference to the ‘Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture (GACSA)’, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. GACSA is an outcome of the Climate Summit held in Paris in 2015. 2. Membership of GACSA does not create any binding obligations. 3. India was instrumental in the creation of GACSA. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which one of the following statements does not apply to the system of Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellesley?

Which one of the following is an artificial lake?

Which of the following leaf modifications occur(s) in the desert areas to inhibit water loss? 1. Hard and waxy leaves 2. Tiny leaves 3. Thorns instead of leaves Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which one of the following foreign travelers elaborately discussed diamonds and diamond mines of India?

Consider the following statements: 1. In the first Lok Sabha, the single largest party in the opposition was the Swatantra Party 2. In the Lok Sabha, a “Leader of the Opposition” was recognised for the first time in 1969. 3. In the Lok Sabha, if a party does not have a minimum of 75 members, its leader cannot be recognised as the Leader of the Opposition. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

“3D printing” has applications in which of the following? 1. Preparation of confectionery items 2. Manufacture of bionic ears 3. Automotive industry 4. Reconstructive surgeries 5. Data processing technologies Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to the governance of public sector banking in India, consider the following statements: 1. Capital infusion into public sector banks by the Government of India has steadily increased in the last decade. 2. To put the public sector banks in order, the merger of associate banks with the parent State Bank of India has been affected. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The well-known painting “Bani Thani” belongs to the

Consider the following statements: 1. In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction non-coal mines. 2. Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines. 3. Rajasthan has iron ore mines. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which of the following has/have shrunk immensely/dried up the recent past due to human activities? 1. Aral Sea 2. Black Sea 3. Lake Baikal Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which of the following led to the introduction of English Education in India? 1. Charter Act of 1813 2. General Committee of Public Instruction, 1823 3. Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which reference to Indian history, who among the following is a future Buddha, yet to come to save the world?

Among the following cities, which one lies on a longitude closest to that of Delhi?

Consider the following pairs: Regions sometimes mentioned in news Country 1. Catalonia Spain 2. Crimea Hungary 3. Mindanao Philippines 4. Oromia Nigeria Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

With reference to the election of the President of India, consider the following statements: 1. The value of the vote of each MLA varies from State to State. 2. The value of the vote of MPs of the Lok Sabha is more than the value of the vote of MPs of the Rajya Sabha. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Economically, one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the:

Which one of the following is a very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha?