51. With reference to Simon Commission’s recommendations, which one of the following statements is correct ?
(a) It recommended the replacement of diarchy with responsible government in the provinces
(b) It proposed the setting up of inter-provincial council under the Home Department
(c) It suggested the abolition of bicameral legislature at the Centre
(d) It recommended the creation of Indian Police Service with a provision for increased pay and allowances for British recruits as compared to Indian recruits
ANSWER (A)
52. Four resolutions were passed at the famous Calcutta session of Indian National Congress in 1906. The question of either retention OR of rejection of these four resolutions became the cause of a split in Congress at the next Congress session held in Surat in 1907. Which one of the following was not one of those resolutions ?
(a) Annulment of partition of Bengal
(b) Boycott
(c) National education
(d) Swadeshi
ANSWER (A)
53. Two numbers X and Y are respectively 20% and 28% less than a third number Z. By what percentage is the number Y less than the number X ?
(a) 8%
(b) 9%
(c) 10%
(d) 12%
ANSWER (C)
54. After Quit India Movement, C. Rajagopalachari issued a pamphlet entitled “The Way Out”. Which one of the following was a proposal in this WS&Z: pamphlet ?
(a) The establishment of a “War Advisory Council” composed of representatives of British India and the Indian States
(b) Reconstitution of the Central Executive Council in such a way that all its members, except the Governor General and the Commander-in-Chief should be Indian leaders
(c) Fresh elections to the Central and Provincial Legislatures to be held at the end of 1945 and the Constitution making body to be convened as soon as possible
(d) A solution for the constitutional deadlock
ANSWER (D)
55. There are only two known examples of cave paintings of the Gupta period in ancient India. One of these is paintings of Ajanta caves. Where is the other surviving example of Gupta paintings ?
(a) Bagh caves
(b) Ellora caves
(c) Lomas Rishi cave
(d) Nasik caves
ANSWER (A)
56. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international treaty drawn at
(a) United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm, 1972
(b) UN Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 1992
(c) World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, 2002
(d) UN Climate Change .Conference, Copenhagen, 2009
ANSWER (B)
57. Which bacterial strain, developed from natural isolates by genetic manipulations, can be used for treating oil spills ?
(a) Agrobacterium
(b) Clostridium
(c) Nitrosomonas
(d) Pseudomonas
ANSWER (C)
58. Which feature of some, species of blue-green algae helps promote them as bio-fertilizers?
(a) They convert- atmospheric methane into ammonia which the crop plants can absorb readily
(b) They induce the crop plants to produce the enzymes which help convert atmospheric nitrogen to nitrates
(c) They have the mechanism to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that the crop plants can absorb readily
(d) They induce the roots of the crop plants to absorb the soil nitrates in larger quantities
ANSWER (C)
59. India is a party to the Ramsar Convention and has declared many areas as Ramsar Sites. Which of the following statements best describes as to how we should maintain these sites in the context of this Convention ?
(a) Keep all the sites completely inaccessible to man so that they will not be exploited
(b) Conserve all the sites through ecosystem approach and permit tourism and recreation only
(c) Conserve all the sites through ecosystem approach for a period without any exploitation, with specific criteria and specific period for each site, and then allow sustainable use of them by future generations
(d) Conserve all the sites through ecosystem approach and allow their simultaneous sustainable use
ANSWER (C)
60. Other than Jatropha curcas, why is Pongamia pinnata also considered a good option for the production of bio-diesel in India ?
1. Pongamia pinnata grows naturally in most of the arid regions of India.
2. The seeds of Pongamia pinnata are rich in lipid content of which nearly half is oleic acid.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER (C)
61. Due to their extensive rice cultivation, some regions may be contributing to global warming. To what possible reason/reasons is this attributable ?
1. The anaerobic conditions associated with rice cultivation cause the emission of methane.
2. When nitrogen based fertilizers are used, nitrous oxide, is emitted from the cultivated soil.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER (A)
62. Sustainable development is described as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In this perspective, inherently the concept of sustainable development is intertwined with which of the following concepts ?
(a) Social justice and empowerment
(b) Inclusive Growth
(c) Globalization
(d) Carrying capacity
ANSWER (D)
63. Given below are the names of four energy crops. Which one of them can be cultivated for ethanol ?
(a) Jatropha
(b) Maize
(c) Pongamia
(d) Sunflower
ANSWER (B)
64. Consider the following pairs :
Protected area Well-known for
1. Bhiterkanika, Orissa Salt Water Crocodile
2. Desert Nationak Great Indian Bustard
Park, Rajasthan
3. Eravikulam, Kerala Hoolak Gibbon
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1,2 and 3
ANSWER (B)
65. Some species of plants are insectivorous. Why?
(a) Their growth in shady and dark places does not allow them- to undertake sufficient photosynthesis and thus they depend on insects for nutrition.
(b) They are adapted to grow in nitrogen deficient soils and thus depend on insects for sufficient nitrogenous nutrition
(c) They cannot synthesize certain vitamins themselves and depend on the insects digested by them
(d) They have remained in that particular stage of evolution as living fossils, a link between autotrophs and heterotrophs
ANSWER (B)
66. A person travelled a distance of 50 km in 8 hours. He covered a part of the distance on foot at the rate of 4 km per hour and a part on a bicycle at the rate of 10 km per hour. How much distance did he travel on foot ?
(a) 10 km
(b) 20 km
(c) 30 km
(d) 40 km
ANSWER (B)
67. In the context of governance, consider the following:
1. Encouraging Foreign Direct Investment inflows
2. Privatization of higher educational Institutions
3. Down-sizing of bureaucracy
4. Selling/offloading the shares of Public Sector Undertakings
Which of the above can be used as measures to control the fiscal deficit in India?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 4
(d) 3 and 4 only
ANSWER (B)
68. As per the UN-Habitat’s Report on Human Settlements 2009, which one among the following regions has shown the fastest growth rate of urbanization in the last three decades ?
(a) Asia
(b) Europe
(c) Latin America and Caribbean
(d) North America
ANSWER (A)
69. In India, which type of forest among the following occupies the largest area ?
(a) Montane Wet Temperate Forest
(b) Sub-tropical Dry Evergreen Forest
(c) Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest
(d) Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest
ANSWER (C)
70. Inclusive growth as enunciated in the Eleventh Five Year Plan does not include one of the following :
(a) Reduction of poverty
(b) Extension of employment opportunities
(c) Strengthening of capital market
(d) Reduction of gender inequality
ANSWER (C)
71. How many numbers from 0 to 999 are not divisible by either 5 or 7 ?
(a) 313
(b) 341
(c) 686
(d) 786
ANSWER (C)
72. Tamil Nadu is a leading. producer of mill-made cotton yam in the country. What could be the reason ?
1. Black coition soil is the predominant type of soil in the State.
2. Rich pool of skilled labour is available.
Which of the above is/are the correct reasons ?-
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER (B)
73. Consider the following statements :
1. On the planet Earth, the fresh water available for use amounts to about less than 1% of the total water found.
2. Of the total fresh water found on the planet Earth 95% is bound up in polar ice caps and glaciers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER (C)
74. Which one of the following reflects back more sunlight as compared to other three ?
(a) Sand desert
(b) Paddy crop land
(c) Land covered with fresh snow
(d) Prairie land
ANSWER (C)
75. Rivers that pass through Himachal Pradesh are
(a) Beas and Chenab only
(b) Beas and Ravi only
(c) Chenab, Ravi and Satluj only
(d) Beas, Chenab, Ravi, Satluj and Yamuna
ANSWER (D)
76. Who of the following shall cause every recommendation made by the Finance Commission to be laid before each House of Parliament ?
(a) The President of India
(b) The Speaker of Lok Sabha
(c) The Prime Minister of India
(d) The Union Finance Minister
ANSWER (A)
77. Which one of the following is responsible for the preparation and presentation of Union Budget to the Parliament ?
(a) Department of Revenue
(b) Department of Economic Affairs
(c) Department of Financial Services
(d) Department of Expenditure
ANSWER (B)
78. In a group of five persons A, B, C, D and E, there is a professor, a doctor and lawyer. A and D are unmarried ladies, and do not work. Of the married couple in the Group, E is the husband. B is the brother of A and is neither a doctor nor a lawyer. Who is the professor ?
(a) B
(b) C
(c) A
(d) Cannot be determined with the available data
ANSWER (A)
79. Consider the following actions by the Government:
1. Cutting the tax rates
2. Increasing the government spending
3. Abolishing the subsidies
In the context of economic recession, which of the above actions can be considered a part of the “fiscal stimulus” package ?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
ANSWER (A)
80. Half of the villagers of a certain village have their own houses. One-fifth of the villagers cultivate paddy. One-third of the villagers are literate. Four-fifth of the villagers are below twenty five. Then, which one of the following is certainly true?
(a) All the villagers who have their own houses are literate
(b) Some villagers under twenty five are literate
(c) A quarter of the villagers who have their own houses cultivate paddy
(d) Half of the villagers who cultivate paddy are literate
ANSWER (B)
81. When the Reserve Bank of India announces an increase of the Cash Reserve Ratio, what does it mean ?
(a) The commercial banks will have less money to lend
(b) The Reserve Bank of India will have less money to lend
(c) The Union Government will have less money to lend
(d) The commercial banks will have more money to lend
ANSWER (A)
82. Who among the following Governor Generals created the Covenanted Civil Service of India which later came to be known as the Indian Civil Service ?
(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Wellesley
(c) Cornwallis
(d) William Bentinck
ANSWER (C)
83. What was the immediate cause for the launch of the Swadeshi movement ?
(a) The partition of Bengal done by Lord Curzon
(b) A sentence of 18 months rigorous imprisonment imposed on Lokmanya Tilak
(c) The arrest and deportation of Lala Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh; and passing of the Punjab Colonization Bill
(d) Death sentence pronounced on the Chapekar brothers
ANSWER (A)
84. Consider the following statements :
1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad persuaded Mahatma Gandhi to come- to Champaran to investigate the problem of peasants.
2. Acharya J. B. Kriplani was one of Mahatma Gandhi’s colleagues in his Champaran investigation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both Land 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER (B)
85. By a regulation in 1793, the District Collector was deprived of his judicial powers and made the collecting agent only. What was the reason for such regulation ?
(a) Lord Cornwallis felt that the District Collector’s efficiency of revenue collection would enormously increase without the burden of other work
(b) Lord Cornwallis felt that Judicial power should compulsorily be in the hands of Europeans while Indians can be given the job of revenue collection in the districts
(c) Lord Cornwallis was alarmed at the extent of power concentrated in the District Collector and felt that such absolute power was undesirable in one person
(d) The judicial work demanded a deep knowledge of India and a good training in law and Lord Cornwallis felt that District Collector should be only a revenue collector
ANSWER (C)
86. With reference to India, consider the following statements :
1. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) in India is available on a monthly basis only.
2. As compared to Consumer Price Index – for Industrial Workers (CPI(IW)), the WPI gives less weight to food articles.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither, 1 nor 2
ANSWER (C)
87. Each person’s performance compared with all other persons is to be done to rank them subjectively. How many comparisons are needed in total, if there are 11 persons ?
(a) 66
(b) 55
(c) 54
(d) 45
ANSWER (B)
88. What is the principle by which a cooling system (Radiator) in a motor car works ?
(a) Conduction only
(b) Convection
(c) Radiation only
(d) Both conduction and radiation
ANSWER (B)
89. Which among the following do/does not belong/belongs to the GSM family of wireless technologies ?
(a) EDGE
(b) LTE
(c) DSL
(d) Both EDGE and LTE
ANSWER (C)
90. With reference to the treatment of cancerous tumours, a tool called cyberknife has been making the news. In this context, which one of the following statements is not correct ?
(a) It is a robotic image guided system
(b) It delivers an extremely precise dose of radiation
(c) It has the capability of achieving sub-millimetre accuracy
(d) It can map the spread of tumour in the body
ANSWER (D)
91. When you travel in certain parts of India, you will notice red soil. What is the main reason for this colour ?
(a) Abundance of magnesium
(b) Accumulated humus
(c) Presence of ferric-oxides
(d) Abundance of phosphates
ANSWER (C)
92. Which one of the following is the appropriate reason for considering the Gondwana rocks as most important of rock systems of India ?
(a) More than 90% of limestone reserves of India are found in them
(b) More than 90% of India’s coal reserves are found in them
(c) More than 90% of fertile black cotton soils are spread over them
(d) None of the reasons given above is appropriate in this context
ANSWER (B)
93. Which one of the following can one come across if one travels through the Strait of Malacca ?
(a) Bali
(b) Brunei
(c) Java
(d) Singapore
ANSWER (D)
94. With reference to the river Luni, which one of the following statements is correct ?
(a) It flows into Gulf of Khambhat
(b) It flows into Gulf of Kuchchh
(c) It flows into Pakistan and merges with a tributary of Indus
(d) It is lost in the marshy land of the Rann of Kuchchh
ANSWER (D)
95. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched ?
Dam/Lake River
(a) Govind Sagar : Satluj
(b) Kolleru Lake : Krishna
(c) Ukai Reservoir : Tapi
(d) Wular Lake : Jhelum
ANSWER (B)
96. A geographic region has the following distinct characteristics:
1. Warm and dry climate
2. Mild and wet winter
3. Evergreen oak trees
The above features are the distinct characteristics of which one of the following regions ?
(a) Mediterranean
(b) Eastern China
(c) Central Asia
(d) Atlantic coast of North America
ANSWER (A)
97. With reference to the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007, consider the following statements :
1. This policy is applicable only to the persons affected by the acquisition of land for projects and not to the involuntary displacement due to any other reason.
2. This policy has been formulated by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER (A)
98. In the context of India’s Five Year Plans, a shift in the pattern of industrialization, with lower emphasis on heavy industries and more on infrastructure begins in
(a) Fourth Plan
(b) Sixth Plan
(c) Eighth Plan
(d) Tenth Plan
ANSWER (C)
99. Two of the schemes launched by the Government of India for Women’s development are Swadhar and Swayam Siddha. As regards the difference between them, consider the following statements:
1. Swayam Siddha is meant for those in difficult circumstances such as women survivors of natural disasters or terrorism, women prisoners released from jails, mentally challenged women etc. whereas Swadhar is meant for holistic empowerment of women through Self Help Groups.
2. Swayam Siddha is implemented through Local Self Government bodies or reputed Voluntary Organizations whereas Swadhar is implemented through the ICDS. units set up in the states.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER (D)
100. With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, consider the following:
1. The Right to Development
2. The Right to Expression
3. The Right to Recreation
Which of the above is/ are the Rights of the child ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
ANSWER (D)
