Test 6

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UPSC-CSE PRELIMINARY TEST SERIES – 2020/2021
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Test Code:
E6
TEST BOOKLET
DPP6 GENERAL STUDIES

TEST -06
Time Allowed: Two Hours Maximum Marks : 200
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TOPICS COVERD: Complete Syllabus(Test 1 To Test 5), Current Affairs (29th JUNE
2020 To 9th AUGUST 2020)
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Q.1) Consider the following statements in context of b) Acarangasutra

Citizenship Amendment Act 2019: c) Sutrakritanga
d) Brihatkalpasutra
1) It allows persecuted minorities from all the
neighboring countries of India to become citizens of
India.
2) It relaxes the requirement of period of stay from 14 Q.5) Which of the following terms describes how an
years to 5 years. organism or population responds to the distribution of
3) It does not apply to tribal areas of 6th schedule states. resources and competitors and how it in turn alters those
same factors?
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
a) Edge Effect
a) 2 and 3 only b) Ecosystem
b) 1 and 2 only c) Ecological Niche
c) 3 only d) Ecocline
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q.6) Consider the following statements in context of Folk

Q.2) Which of the following are active volcanoes? dance Kummi:
1) Barren Island 1) It is performed in the region of Telangana and Andhra
2) Mt Fuji Pradesh
3) Cleavland 2) Nadaswaram and Dholak are the main musical
4) Mt Kilimanjaro instrument played during its performance.
5) Karmysky
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 only
a) 1, 4 and 5 b) 2 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 c) Both 1 and 2
c) 2, 3, 4 and 5 d) Neither 1 nor 2
d) 1, 3 and 5
Q.7) Consider the following statements in context of

Q.3) Indian Airforce’s Rafale aircraft is to be equipped NABARD:
with METEOR missiles. Consider the following
statements in context of Meteor Missile: 1) It is jointly owned by the RBI and the Government of
India.
1) It is a beyond visual range missile 2) It holds the portfolio of Natural Resource
2) It has been developed by Israel. Management Programmes.
3) It is fitted with rocket’s engine which gives it a 3) It is the national implementing entity of National
uniform thrust. Adaptation Fund for Climate Change.
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
a) 1 only a) 1 only
b) 1 and 3 only b) 2 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 d) 1, 2 and 3
Q.4) Which one of the following is not a part of early Q.8) Consider the following statements in context of
Jaina literature? Vedanta School of Philosophy:
a) Therigatha
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1) This school upholds the philosophies of life as Q.12) RBI has directed MCLR to be replaced by Repo
elaborated in the Upanishads. Linked Lending rate. Consider the following statements
2) It denied the theory of re-birth. in this context:
3) It gave credence to the Theory of Karma
1) Repo Linked Loans are more volatile than MCLR
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? 2) Repo Linked Lending rates are to be reviewed on
monthly basis
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor
Mesolithic period:
1) No evidence of pottery has been found in any Q.13) DRDO had tested Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet
Mesolithic sites. (SFDR) propulsion recently. Consider the following
2) Home Sapiens or Modern Humans appeared in the statements in context of SFDR:
end of this phase.
1) Using SFDR technologies reduces the weight of the
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? fuels in rockets.
2) It amplifies the speed until it reaches terminal phase
a) 1 only of the flight.
b) 2 only 3) India had developed its first flight SFDR under a joint
c) Both 1 and 2 Indo-Israel R&D project
d) Neither 1 nor 2
a) 1 and 2only
Q.10) Arrange the following amendments to Directive b) 2 and 3 only
Principles of State Policy in chronological order: c) 1 and 3 only
1) Minimize inequality in income, status, facilities, and d) 1, 2 and 3
opportunities.
2) Changing the subject matter of Art. 45.
3) Secure opportunities for healthy development of Q.14) Consider the following pairs of officials and their
children. responsibilities during Maurya Period:
4) Addition of Art. 43B
a) 1-4-3-2
b) 1-3-4-2
c) 3-1-2-4
d) 3-1-4-2 Which of the above given pair/s is/are correctly macthed?
a) 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
Q.11) Which of the following is the correct order of food c) 1 and 2 only
chains? d) 1, 2 and 3
a) Diatoms, Crustaceans, Rotifera, Herrings
b) Rotifera D iatoms, Herrings, Crustaceans
c) Diatoms, Rotifera, Crustaceans, Herrings Q.15) Consider the following statements in context of
d) Diatoms, Herrings, Crustaceans, Rotifera Earthquakes:
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1) Shallow earthquakes are usually more destructive 2) Staff security deposits

than deep seated earthquakes. 3) Demand Drafts
2) Shallow earthquakes have comparatively lower 4) Cash certificates
magnitude than deep seated earthquakes. 5) Unclaimed Deposits
3) Most of the total energy released in earthquakes
comes from shallow earthquakes. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? a) 1, 2 and 5 only

b) 2 and 3 only
a) 2 only c) 1, 2 and 4 only
b) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1,2 and 3
Q.19) Which one of the following was a corporation of
merchants in ancient India?
Q.16) Which of the following site/s is/are correctly
matched with their respective finding/s? a) Chaturvedimangalam
b) Parishad
c) Ashtadikgaja
Sites Findings d) Manigrama
1. Gufkrall Pit dwellings found
2. Koldhiwa Earliest evidence of rice
3. Piklihal Earliest evidence of use Q.20) Consider the following statements in context of
of pottery Ajivikas:
a) 1 and 3 only 1. It was founded by Mahavira
b) 2 only 2. They believed that it was law of karma which
c) 1 and 2 only determined the fate of the people
d) 1, 2 and 3 3. Ajiviakas pursued austerities rather than any
purposeful goal
Q.17) Consider the following statements in context of Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
Centre for Augmenting War with Covid-19 Health Crisis a) 1 and 3 only
(CAWACH): b) 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
1. It is an initiative of Ministry of Health. d) 1, 2 and 3
2. It aims to support innovation in area of diagnostics,
devices & bioinformatics
3. It is being implemented by Indian Pharmacopoeia Q.21) Consider the following pairs regarding
Commission (IPC). terminologies associated with Buddhism:
a) 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q.18) Which of the following are included under time Which of the above given pair/s is/are correctly matched?
liabilities of banks? a) 1 and 3 only
1) Fixed deposits b) 2 and 3 only
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c) 2 only Q.25) Khazan farming sometimes seen in news is related

d) 1, 2 and 3 to:
a) Traditional alder-based agroforestry system
Q.22) Consider the following pairs in the context of b) Agricultural system with natural growth of crops
different volcanic mountains and their types: without adding any fertilizer or pesticides.
c) Agriculture practice intended to conserve soil
moisture in drought prone areas
d) A combination of Aquaculture & Agricultural
system practiced in brackish and saline water in
coastal regions.
Which of the above given pair/s is/are incorrectly Q.26) Consider the following pairs:
matched?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Which of the above given pair/s is/are correctly matched?

Q.23) Consider the following statements in context of a) 1 and 2 only
demand of money: b) 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
1) Interest rates fall with increase in demand of money.
d) 1, 2 and 3
2) Demand of money increases with increase in income
of the people.
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? Q.27) Article 18 of the Indian constitution abolishes titles.
Consider the following statements in this context:
a) 1 only
b) 2 only 1) It prohibits state from giving military and academic
c) Both 1 and 2 titles.
d) Neither 1 nor 2 2) Titles such as Padma Bhushan & Bharat Ratana are
not covered under Article 18.
3) Hereditary titles such as Maharaja, Rai Bahadur etc.
Q.24) Consider the following statements in context of cannot be used by a person.
Writs:
Assertion (A): The writ jurisdiction of Supreme Court and
a) 1 and 2 only
High court are same.
b) 2 and 3 only
Reason (R): Both the Supreme court & High court can c) 3 only
issue writs under Article 32 of the constitution. d) 1,2 and 3
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

a) Both A & R are true, and R is correct explanation of Q.28) Caldera looks like a volcanic crater, but they have
A very subtle differences. Consider the following
b) Both A & R are true, but R is not correct explanation statements in this context:
of A
1) Crater is the result of a large cavity created
c) A is false and R is true
underground when a chamber of magma and lava gets
d) Both A and R are false
emptied.
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2) Caldera is a bowl like structure at the top of a volcano c) 2 and 3 only

that is used for eruption of magma and lava. d) 1, 2 and 3
3) Caldera is a special type of Crater
Which of the above given statement/s is/are incorrect?
a) 1 and 2 only Small Finance Banks:
b) 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only 1) They cannot accept fixed deposits or recurring
d) 1, 2 and 3 deposits.
2) They can issue debit cards but not credit cards.
Q.29) Gana Sangha presented alternate polity to
kingdoms in ancient India. Consider the following a) 1 only
statements in context of Gana Sanghas: b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
1) Most of the Gana Sangha were located near d) Neither 1 nor 2
Himalayan Foothills rather than Gangetic alluvial
plains
2) Corporate aspect of governance was the major Q.33) Consider the following pairs in context of
attribute of Gana Sanghas. Provisions in Indian constitution borrowed from other
3) Social and religious aspects of Brhamanical theory constitutions of the world:
was more deeply entrenched in Gana Sanghas
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 Which of the above given pair/s is/are correctly matched?
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
Q.30) World Wildlife Crime report is released by: c) 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
a) World Wildlife Fund
b) United Nation Development program
c) United Nation office of drug and crime
Q.34) Tsunami waves cause heavy destruction in the area
d) International Union for conservation of nature
wherever they strike. Consider the following statements
with reference to properties of tsunami waves:
Q.31) With reference to earthquake swarm consider the 1) These are waves with long wavelengths and relatively
following statements: short time period as compared to wind waves.
2) Their speed is slow in deep waters, but it increases as
1) It is a series of high magnitude earthquakes that occur they reach shallow waters.
over a large area. 3) Volcanic eruption, landslides, meteorite impact,
2) The earthquakes under this occur over a large time earthquake, all have the potential to generate tsunami
period ranging from days to weeks. waves.
3) Sometimes earthquakes under this are associated with
volcanic activity as well. Which of the above given statement/s is/are incorrect?
a) 1 and 2 only
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? b) 2 only
a) 1 and 2 only c) 2 and 3 only
b) 2 only d) 1, 2 and 3
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Q.35) Kongonaphon Kelly sometimes seen in news is a c) Both 1 and 2

species of: d) Neither 1 nor 2
a) Extinct Marsupials
b) Dinosaurs Q.39) Consider the following statements in context of
c) Isopoda Vedas:
d) Wildflower
1. Dhrupad Raga is mentioned in Sam Veda
2. Shukla Yajurveda contains only Mantras.
3. Ayurveda is the upveda of Atharva Veda
ASTHROS Mission sometimes seen in news: Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
1. It is a project by JAXA to observe the wavelength of a) 1 and 3 only
light invisible from earth. b) 1 and 2 only
2. It will send an aircraft mounted on an aircraft into c) 2 only
the stratosphere. d) 1, 2 and 3

Q.40) Twin Balance sheet problem present a serious
a) 1 only
challenge to the Indian economy. Which of the following
b) 2 only
is/are the characteristic/s of Twin Balance Sheet Issue?
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2 1) Overleveraging of corporate sector
2) Decreasing number of bad loans by the banks
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Late Harrapan Phase: a) 1 only
b) 2 only
1) System of double cropping developed in this phase of c) Both 1 and 2
Indus Valley Civilization. d) Neither 1 nor 2
2) Late Harrapan settlements were larger and were more
urbanized than earlier phase of Indus valley
settlements
Q.41) Which of the following are the essential
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? characteristics of pollutants needed for biomagnification?
a) 1 only 1) Water solubility

b) 2 only 2) Long lived
c) Both 1 and 2 3) Biologically inactive
d) Neither 1 nor 2 4) Mobile
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
Q.38) Consider the following statements: a) 1, 3 and 4 only

b) 2 and 4 only
1) The first formal mention of dance is found in c) 1, 2 and 3 only
Nadikehwara’s Abhinaya Darpan d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
2) According to Abhinaya Darpana Nritya consists of
basic dance steps and is devoid of any expression
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? Q.42) ‘Social Justice’ as one of the objectives of the
Indian Constitution has been provided in:
a) 1 only
b) 2 only 1) Fundamental rights
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2) Directive Principles of State Policy c) Charge, which the investor pays for carrying forward
3) Preamble his position.
d) Stocks issues by companies with large market
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
capitalisation
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3 Q.46) Consider the following statements in context of
d) 1, 2 and 3 Fundamental rights:
1. All fundamental rights except those under Article 20
Q.43) In the context of Seismic zoning map of India & 21 become automatically suspended on imposition
consider the following statements: of National Emergency.
2. Both States and Parliament can make laws against
1) Whole country is divided under five seismic zones Untouchability and traffic against human beings.
with zone 5 being with highest seismicity. 3. Laws pertaining to amalgamation of organizations
2) About 3/4th of India’s land area is under the threat of cannot be invalidated in case it violates Fundamental
moderate to severe earthquakes. rights under Article 14 or Article 19.
3) This zoning map has been made by Ministry of Earth
Sciences in collaboration with Ministry of Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
Environment, Forest & Climate Change a) 3 only
Which of the above given statement/s is/are incorrect? b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
a) 1 and 2 only d) 1, 2 and 3
b) 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 Q.47) Broad Money (M3) is dependent upon several
factors. Change in which of the following factors will
influence the supply of Broad Money:
Q.44) Despite being disastrous, volcanic activity also has
many positive effects as well. Consider the following 1) Demand Deposit with banking System
statements in this context: 2) Time Deposit with Banking system
3) Post Office savings banks
1) Increase in the fertility of the soil. 4) Bankers’ deposits with the RBI
2) Many rare metallic ores are made available.
3) Source of geothermal energy. Select the correct answer using the codes given below
Which of the above is/are the positive effect/s of the a) 1 and 2

volcanoes/volcanic activity? b) 2, 3 and 4
c) 1, 3 and 4
a) 2 only d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 3
d) 1 and 3 only Q.48) Consider the following statements in context of
basic structure of the Indian Constitution:
Q.45) Greenshoe option sometimes seen in news is 1) Constitutional Amendments before April 24, 1973
cannot be tested on touchstone of basic structure of
related to:
constitution.
a) Selling of Green Bonds 2) Judicial review is a basic structure of constitution.
b) It allows the sale of additional shares that a company Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
plans to issue
a) 1 only
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b) 2 only Q.52) Consider the following statements:

c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2 1) Constitution of India was adopted on 26th January
1950.
2) Some of the provisions of the constitution came into
effect before 26th January 1950.
Q.49) On the basis of characteristic of lava, volcanoes are
classified under Basaltic eruption and Andesitic eruption. Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
Which of the following is not a correct difference between
Andesitic and Basaltic eruptions? a) 1 only
b) 2 only
a) The lava under Andesitic eruption is acidic while it is c) Both 1 and 2
basic under Basaltic eruption. d) Neither 1 nor 2
b) Andesitic eruptions are quiet eruptions while Basaltic
eruptions are explosive.
c) The lava under Andesitic eruption is rich in silica Q.53) Consider the following statements in context of
while it is rich in metallic minerals under Basaltic White label ATMs:
eruption.
d) Unlike Basaltic eruption, quick solidification of lava 1) The bank which has outsourced this work provides
is a feature of Andesitic eruption cash for white label ATM.
2) They do not bear ‘logo’ of the banks they serve.
3) It is compulsory for white level ATMs to open few
Q.50) Match the following pairs in the context of different ATMs from Tier 3 to Tier 6 areas.
river course and their dominant function: Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
a) 2 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: d) 1, 2 and 3
a) 1-B, 2-A, 3-C

b) 1-C, 2-B, 3-A Q.54) Consider the following statements in context of
c) 1-A, 2-B, 3-C Gaseous cycle:
d) 1-B, 2-C, 3-A
1. Most gaseous cycles are perfect cycles
2. Hydrosphere is the reservoir in gaseous cycle
Q.51) UNICEF report recently pointed out exposure of Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
children to lead pollution. Consider the following
statements in context of lead: a) 1 only
b) 2 only
1. It causes Itai Itai disease. c) Both 1 and 2
2. Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer of lead in d) Neither 1 nor 2
India.
3. Global Alliance to end lead paint is a joint effort of
WHO and UNEP. Q.55) Consider the following statements in context of
Charter Act 1813:
Which of the above given statement/s is/are incorrect?
1) It ended the company's monopoly to trade with China
a) 3 only 2) It required company’s servants to undergo some
b) 1and 3 only training in England before entering the service.
c) 1 and 2 only 3) It provided for appointment of separate Lieutenant
d) 1, 2 and 3 Governor for Bengal
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Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 2 only a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1 and 3 only b) 2, 3, 4 and 5 only
c) 2 and 3 only c) 1, 4 and 5 only
d) None of these d) All the above
Q.56) Match the following pairs with reference to Q.59) The Preamble of Indian constitution emphasizes on
different terms associated with the mountains: Fraternity as one of its objectives. Which of the following
provision/s of the constitution fulfills the objective of
Fraternity?
1) Directive Principle of State Policy
2) Fundamental Rights
3) Fundamental Duties
4) India declared as Union of States
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: a) 1 and 3 only
b) 3 only
a) 1-C 2-A 3-B c) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1-A 2-B 3-C d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
c) 1-B 2-A 3-C
d) 1-C 2-B 3-A
Q.60) The name Maghavan, Vritrahan was used for which
of the following Rig Vedic God?
Q.57) Which of the following statement/s about Merchant
discount rate is/are correct? a) Agni
b) Varuna
1) It is incentive given by a bank to a merchant for c) Yama
accepting payments through debit cards pertaining to d) Indra
that bank.
2) Merchant discount rates does not apply on payments
through Aadhar Pay and UPI.
Which of the above given statement/s is are correct? Yellow Fever:
a) 1 only 1. It is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted
b) 2 only by infected sandflies.
c) Both 1 and 2 2. The virus causing Yellow fever is endemic to
d) Neither 1 nor 2 tropical areas of Africa.
Q.58) Residual or dissected mountains are evolved as a a) 1 only
result of Denudation. Which among the following in India
b) 2 only
fall under the category of residual mountains?
c) Both 1 and 2
1) Nilgiri Hills d) Neither 1 nor 2
2) The Aravallis
3) Parasnath
4) Rajmahal Hills Q.62) Blue Heart Campaign sometimes seen in news is
5) Javadi Hills
concerned with:
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a) Preventing violence against women 2. Amendment in any provision of fifth and sixth
b) Raising Awareness against Human trafficking schedule of the constitution require to be passed by
c) Raising awareness against methemoglobinemia Special Majority of Parliament & Consent of states.
which turns infant’s skin blue. Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
d) Conservation of whales.
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
Q.63) Suppose the missile or spacecraft launching sites c) Both 1 and 2
are shifted from equator to poles all along Eastern side of d) Neither 1 nor 2
the continents. What would be the likely consequence?
a) Coriolis force on satellite or spacecraft will be least Q.67) Which of the following about Standing Deposit
b) The fuel burden of missiles will reduce Facility Scheme is correct?
c) Gravitational pull on spacecraft or missile will
decrease a) It is a collateral free liquidity absorption mechanism
d) The missiles will have to bear additional fuel burden to absorb liquidity
b) It facilitates borrowing and lending of funds by banks
on overnight basis.
Q.64) Which of the following statement about Mauryan c) RBI gives temporary loan facilities to the center and
Administration is incorrect? state governments as a banker to the government.
d) It is moneitization of deficit done by RBI through
a) Death Penalty was abolished at time of Ashoka. selling of bonds in the market.
b) Taxes were levied in both cash and kind
c) Production of iron was largely controlled by Mauryas
d) Mauryan state founded new agricultural settlements Q.68) Consider the following statements with respect to
to bring virgin land under cultivation meandering of river:
1) Meandering of river can be observed in old stage of
river.
Q.65) Which of the following nations share border with
2) River meandering is affected by the Coriolis force.
Lebonan? 3) A meander that is no longer attached to the river is
1. Cyprus known as an oxbow lake.
2. Jordan Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
3. Israel
4. Syria a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 3, and 4 only
Ammonium Nitrate sometimes seen in news:
1. It is soluble in water.
Q.66) Consider the following statements in context of 2. It can burn on its own even at room temperature
Constitutional Amendment Bill: 3. Any activity related to Ammonium Nitrate in India
requires a license.
1. There is no provision for holding a joint sitting of both
the Houses of Parliament if there is a deadlock over Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
the passage of such bill.
a) 2 only
b) 1 and 2 only
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c) 1, 2 and 3 1. Thermal decomposition in pyrolysis occurs in

d) 1 and 3 only absence of oxygen supply
2. No carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide is formed as
byproduct due to absence of oxygen supply.
Q.70) Consider the following provisions under the
Directive Principles of State Policy as enshrined in the
Constitution of India: a) 1 only
1) Participation of workers in the management of b) 2 only
industries. c) Both 1 and 2
2) Management of Co-operative societies. d) Neither 1 nor 2
3) Equal pay for equal work for men and women.
4) Prohibit consumption of intoxicating drinks and
drugs. Q.74) Which of these pairs of places in news and their
Which of the above is/are socialistic principles that are corresponding nations are correctly matched?
reflected in Directive Principles of State Policy?
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
a) 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
Q.71) Which of the following statements about the c) 1 and 2 only
Harappan civilization is correct? d) 1,2 and 3
a) Class division was absent in Harappans society
b) Almost every house had windows facing the streets
c) Most of the Harappans civilization is found in arid Q.75) Consider the following pairs of joint exercises of
and semi-arid areas India and its corresponding country:
d) Wheat and barley were not known to agriculturalists
of Indus valley civilization
Q.72) Which among the following is/are the way/s of

transportation of eroded material? Which of the above given pair/s is/are correctly matched?
1) Traction a) 1 and 2 only

2) Saltation b) 3 only
3) Suspension c) 2 and 3 only
4) Solution d) 1, 2 and 3

a) 1, 2 and 3 Q.76) Consider the following statements in context of
b) 2, 3 and 4 Mohiniyattam:
c) 1, 3 and 4 1) It is a traditional dance of Kerala generally performed
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 in groups.
2) It generally narrates the story of the feminine dance
of Vishnu.
Q.73) Consider the following statements in context of 3) Dancing on the brass plate by keeping the feet on its
Pyrolysis: edges is a feature of Mohiniyattam.
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Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? Q.80) Consider the following statements in context of
Combined cycle plant:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 only 1. It uses gas and steam turbine together to produce
c) 1 and 3 only electricity
d) 1, 2 and 3 2. Combined cycle plants produce higher electricity
than single cycle plant
Q.77) Consider the following role of fire in grassland Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
ecosystem:
a) 1 only
1) Under moist conditions fire favors grass over trees. b) 2 only
2) Fire increases forage yields in Grasslands. c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
a) 1 only
b) 2 only Q.81) Consider the following statements in context of
c) Both 1 and 2 COIVID19BWM App:
d) Neither 1 nor 2
1. It has been developed by Department of National
Informatics Centre.
Q.78) Consider the following statements in context of 2. The app allows people at all the three levels i.e.,
Later Vedic Age: waste generator, collector, and treatment operator to
feed data
1) Mixed Farming was unknown to Later Vedic people
2) Large destruction of cattle wealth occurred during 3. It is compulsory for all state pollution control boards
this period to use this app
3) Taxes were mainly through voluntary offerings Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
a) 2 only
a) 2 and 3 only b) 1 and 3 only
b) 1 and 3 only c) 2 and 3 only
c) 2 only d) 1, 2 and 3
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q.82) He is credited to establish the first Non-Kshatriya

Q.79) Which among the following is/are the erosional dynasty in India and was known as Ugrasena in Pali
landforms associated with the river? Texts. He was the first empire builder of India and
claimed to be eakrat (the sole sovereign who destroyed all
1) Deltas
other ruling) & Sarva-kshatrantaka (uprooter of the
2) Valleys
Kshatriyas princes). He also added kalinga and Kosala to
3) Plunge pools
Magadha. Identify this ruler.
4) Rapid
5) Levees a) Chandra Gupta Maurya
6) Potholes b) Bimbisara
c) MahaPadma Nanda
d) Sishunaga
a) 1, 3, 5 and 6
b) 2, 3, 4 and 6
c) 2, 4, 5 and 6 Q.83) Financial Inclusion Index was launched by:
d) All the above
a) RBI
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b) Niti Aayog Q.87) Consider the following statements in context of

c) Ministry of Finance contempt of court:
d) National Payment Corporation of India
1. Willful disobedience of an order of court amounts to
criminal contempt.
Q.84) Consider the following statements in context of 2. Supreme Court and High court derive its entire
National commission of Women: power to punish for its contempt from Contempt of
Courts Act, 1971
1. It is a satutory body set up under The Dowry
Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 1986 Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
2. It enjoys all the powers of civil court a) 1 only
3. All members of the commission are nominated by b) 2 only
the Union Government c) Both 1 and 2
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? d) Neither 1 nor 2
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only Q.88) Mother’s Absolute Affection (MAA) Scheme
c) 1 only sometimes seen is concerned with:
d) 1, 2 and 3
a) Promoting institutional delivery
b) Health checkups for Pergament women
Q.85) Consider the following statements in context of c) Maternity benefit programme
Science & Technology in ancient India: d) Raising awareness about Breastfeeding
1) Metallurgy only began in India by end of later Vedic

age. Q.89) Consider the following statements:
2) Paper began to be used in India by the time of Gupta
period. 1) Settlement of boundary dispute between India and
another country require constitutional Amendment
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? 2) Laws made in for admission of new states under
a) 1 only Article 2 need to be passed by special majority of the
b) 2 only Parliament
c) Both 1 and 2 Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
d) Neither 1 nor 2
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
Q.86) Antisyncline and Syncline are the two most c) Both 1 and 2
common types of fold that result from Compression of d) Neither 1 nor 2
rocks. Consider the following statements in this context:
1) An Antisyncline is of ∩ shape with youngest rocks in Q.90) Consider the following statements in context of art
the centre of the fold. and architecture in Mauryan period:
2) A Syncline is of U shape with oldest rocks in the
centre of the fold. 1) Mathura school of art flourished at the time of
Mauryas
Which of the above given statement/s is/are incorrect? 2) The Ashokan pillars were generally attached to state
a) 1 only buildings
b) 2 only 3) Pottery during Mauryan period were characterized by
c) 1 and 2 both Northen Black Polished Ware.
d) None of the above
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a) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3

b) 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1,2 and 3 Q.94) Consider the following statements:
1) Protection of wildlife and birds was added to the
Q.91) Which among the following will you encounter concurrent list by the 44th Constitution Amendment
when you move away from the equator towards the poles? Act, 1978.
2) Promotion of cottage industries is mentioned in both
1) There is a decrease in the length of the latitutdes, but Directive Principles of State Policy and Eleventh
the length of longitude remains the same. Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
2) The distance between two longitudes decrease while
it increases between two latitudes. Which of the above given statement/s is/are incorrect?
Select the correct answer using the codes given below: a) 1 only
b) 2 only
a) 1 only c) Both 1 and 2
b) 2 only d) Neither 1 nor 2
c) 1 and 2 both
d) None of the above
Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India:
Bengal School of Art paintings: 1. His salary and other service conditions are
determined by President of India
1. It was established by Rabindranath Tagore 2. The administrative expenses of office of CAG is not
2. It arose as reaction against company style of subject to vote of Parliament
paintings 3. After he ceases to hold his office, he is not eligible
3. Oil Paintings formed an important feature of Bengal for further office, either under the Government of
school. India or of any state
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 only b) 2 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only c) 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 d) 1, 2 and 3
Q.93) Gandhara school of art was patronized by Kushana Q.96) Consider the following statements in context of
Rulers. Consider the following statements in this context: Pangolins:
1) The sculptures of Gandhara school was built mainly 1. It is only scaly mammal on the planet.
of red sandstone
2. It is the most illegally traded mammal in world.
2) It was mainly influenced by external cultures.
3) The Buddha in Gandara school is shown in delighted Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?
mood with muscular body and shaven head.
a) 1 only
Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? b) 2 only
a) 1 and 3 only c) Both 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3 only d) Neither 1 nor 2
c) 2 only
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Q.97) RTGS and NEFT are two popular mode of online Which of the above form the part of Liquidity Adjustment
money transfer. Consider the following statements in this Facility of RBI?
context:
a) 1, 2 and 4
1) While NEFT has a minimum transfer limit, RTGS has b) 2 and 4
no minimum transfer limit. c) 1, 3, 4 and 5
2) Both NEFT and RTGS transactions can be made only d) 2, 3, 4 and 5
through online mode.
3) While NEFT is available anytime & everyday, RTGS
is available on certain days of week between
stipulated time periods.
a) 2 and 3 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

Nagara style of Architecture:
1. Nagara style is usually characterized by elaborate
boundary walls or gateways.
2. There is always a water tank in the temple premises
3. Garbhagriha is always located below the tallest
tower
a) 3 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 1, 2 and 3
d) 2 and 3 only
Q.99) BeiDou sometime seen in news is related to:

a) Anti-satellite weapon
b) Navigation satellite system constellation
c) Mars Rover
d) Quantam submarine detector
Q.100) Consider the following tools used by RBI:

1) Marginal Standing Facility
2) Repo rate
3) 2Statutory Liquidity Ratio
4) Reverse Repo
5) Market Stabilization Scheme
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Q.1) Ans: c active volcano. Mt Kilimanjaro is another popular

dormant volcano. This could have eliminated option
• The Citizenship (Amendment) Act grants citizenship a
to the Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhist, Jains and
Parsis — from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh Q.3) Ans: a
who had arrived in India before 31 December 2014.
Statement 1 is correct: Meteor is beyond-visual range
• Citizenship Act, 1955 requires the applicant to have
(BVR) air-to-air missile, which has the capability to hit
resided in India for 11 of the previous 14 years. The
targets over 120 km away.
amendment relaxes this requirement from 11 years to
six years, for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, Statement 2 is incorrect: The Meteor missile was
and Christians from the three nations. developed by a consortium of six European nations:
• The Citizenship (Amendment) Act does not apply to UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Sweden. The
tribal areas of Tripura, Mizoram, Assam, and project that resulted in the Meteor missile began in the
Meghalaya because of being included in the Sixth 1990s and was primarily driven by the need to counter the
Schedule of the Constitution. Also, areas that fall then new generation of highly agile Russian fighter jets
under the Inner Limit notified under the Bengal like the MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27. The Sukhoi Su-27 is
Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, will also be the design from which the Indian Air Force's Su-30MKI
outside the Act's purview. This keeps almost entire fighter is derived.
Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland out of
the ambit of the Act. Statement 3 is incorrect: The Meteor missile has a
miniature supersonic jet engine, called a ramjet.
Q.2) Ans: d Instead of burning off all its fuel right after launch, it
[Meteor] can throttle its engine back during cruise, thus
• Active volcanoes erupt regularly examples of active saving fuel. As it approaches its target it can throttle up,
volcanoes are Kīlauea in Hawaii, Mount Etna in Italy eventually making its terminal attack while at its highest
and Mount Stromboli also in Italy which has been possible energy state, around mach 4.5, even when fired
erupting almost constantly for the last 2000 years over long ranges.
• Barren Island is an island located in the Andaman
Sea. It is the only confirmed active volcano in South This propulsion system is unique to METEOR missile. Its
Asia, and the only active volcano along a chain of counterparts’ missiles such as PHONEIX & AMRAAM
volcanoes from Sumatra to Myanmar. It erupted have rocket engines. In such air-to-air missiles, the rocket
recently in 2018 engine delivers a uniform amount of thrust over certain
• Mount Cleveland (also known as Cleveland duration of flight after which the motor burns out. The
Volcano) is a nearly symmetrical stratovolcano on missile then 'coasts', or glides at high speed, to its target,
the western end of Chuginadak Island, which is part which it tracks through radar.
of the Islands of Four Mountains just west of Umnak
Q.4) Ans: A
Island in the Fox Islands of the Aleutian Islands of
Alaska. Mt. Cleveland is 5,675 ft (1,730 m) high, and • The Therigatha, often translated as Verses of the
one of the most active volcanoes in the larger Elder Nuns, is a Buddhist text, a collection of short
Aleutian Arc. It recently became active in June 2020. poems of early women who were elder nuns (having
• Karymsky is an active stratovolcano on the experienced 10 Vassa or monsoon periods). The
Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. It is currently the most poems date from a three-hundred-year period, with
active volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula, as well some dated as early as the late 6th century BCE.[1] In
as the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern the Pāli Canon, the Therigatha is classified as part of
volcanic zone. It too recently erupted . the Khuddaka Nikaya, the collection of short books in
• Dormant volcanoes are volcanoes that have not the Sutta Pitaka. It consists of 73 poems organized
erupted in a long time but are expected to erupt again into 16 chapters. It is the companion text to the
in the future. Examples of dormant volcanoes are Theragatha, verses attributed to senior monks.
Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa and Mount Fuji • It is the earliest known collection of women's
in Japan. literatures composed in India.
• Elimination: Option b and c could have been easily
eliminated as its well known that barren island is an Q.5) Ans: c
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• In ecology, a niche is the match of a species to a like Watershed Development, Tribal Development
specific environmental condition. It describes how an and Farm Innovation through dedicated funds set up
organism or population responds to the distribution of for the purpose.
resources and competitors (for example, by growing • It is one of the premier agencies providing
when resources are abundant, and when predators, developmental credit in rural areas. It does not
parasites and pathogens are scarce) and how it in turn grant Direst credit to Rural Households.
alters those same factors (for example, limiting access • Refinance facility by NABARD is available to à
to resources by other organisms, acting as a food • State co-operative agriculture and rural
source for predators and a consumer of prey). development banks (SCARDBs),
• The type and number of variables comprising the • State co-operative banks (SCBs),
dimensions of an environmental niche vary from one • Regional rural banks (RRBs),
species to another [and] the relative importance of • Commercial banks (CBs) and
environmental variables for a species may vary • Other financial institutions approved by RBI.
according to the geographic and biotic contexts • NABARD is active in developing financial
inclusion policy and is a member of the Alliance for
Q.6) Ans: d
Financial Inclusion (global network of financial
• Kummi is a popular folk dance in the region of Tamil inclusion policymakers, Founded in 2008)
Nadu and Kerala. The dance is performed by the • NABARD is also known for its “SHG Bank Linkage
women, standing in a circular formation. A unique Programme” (1992) which encourages India's banks
feature of the dance performance is the absence of any to lend to SHGs.
accompanying music. The beats are generated by the • The National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change
rhythmic clapping. The dance is generally performed (NAFCC) is a Central Sector Scheme which was set
during Pongal and other religious festivities. up in the year 2015-16. The overall aim of NAFCC is
Kolattam and Pinnal Kolattam are close variants of to support concrete adaptation activities which
this dance form. mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Q.7) Ans: b Development (NABARD) is the National
Implementing Entity (NIE).
• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD) is an apex development Q.8) Ans: c
financial institution in India to provide finance for
agriculture and rural development. • Vedanta is made of two words- ‘Veda’ and ‘ant’, i.e.
• Established in 1982 on the recommendations of B. the end of the Vedas. This school upholds the
Sivaraman Committee. philosophies of life as elaborated in the
• It is a statutory body established in 1982 under Upanishads. The oldest text that formed the basis of
Parliamentary act - NABARD Act, 1981. this philosophy was Brahmasutra of Badrayana. The
• Its headquarter is located in Mumbai. philosophy propounds that Brahm is the reality of life
• NABARD today is fully owned by Government of and everything else is unreal or Maya.
India since 2019 onwards after RBI exited NABARD • Furthermore, the atma or the consciousness of self is
by selling its entire stake to Govt. Of India. The similar to the brahm. This argument equalizes atma
authorized share capital is about Rs.30,000 crore. and brahm and if a person attains the knowledge of
• It is responsible for the development of the small the self, he would automatically understand brahm
industries, cottage industries, and any other such and would achieve salvation.
village or rural projects. • This argument would make brahm and atma
• NABARD operates Rural Infra. Development fund indestructible and eternal. There were social
(RIDF) from PSL shortfalls from SCBs. implications of this philosophy, i.e. that true
spirituality was also implicit in the unchanging social
• The Bank has been entrusted with "matters
and material situation in which a person is born and
concerning policy, planning and operations in the
field of credit for agriculture and other economic placed.
activities in rural areas in India". • The Vedanta theory also gave credence to the
Theory of Karma. They believed in the theory of
• NABARD also has a portfolio of Natural Resource
Punarjanama or rebirth. They also argued that a
Management Programmes involving diverse fields
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person would have to bear the brunt of their actions Four new directive principles were added during 42nd
from the previous birth in the next one. This amendment. They oblige the state:
philosophy would also allow people to argue that
sometimes they suffer in their present birth because • To secure opportunities for healthy development
of a misdeed of the past and the remedy is beyond of children under Article 39.
their means except through the finding of one’s • To promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid
brahm. to the poor under Article 39 A.
• To take steps to secure the participation of workers in
Q.9) Ans: d the m management if industries under 43 A.
• To protect and improve the environment and to
• The Mesolithic Age represents the intermediate stage
in Stone Age Culture. Both Mesolithic and Neolithic safeguard forests and wildlife under Article 48 A
Cultures belong to the Holocene era (which 44th Amendment Act of 1978
succeeded the Pleistocene era around 10,000 years
ago). The Mesolithic man lived on hunting, fishing, • The 44th Amendment compelled the state to curb the
food gathering, and in later stages, also domesticated inequalities in income, status, facilities and
animals. One of the key aspects of the Mesolithic Age opportunities under Article 38.
was the reduction in size of well-established tool
86th Amendment Act of 2002
types.
• The characteristic tools of this age were microliths The 86th Amendment made the elementary education a
(miniature stone tools usually made of crypto- fundamental right under Article 21A and modifies the
crystalline silica, chalcedony, or chert, both of subject matter of Article 45. This act endeavor that the
geometrical and non-geometrical shapes). They were state shall provide early childhood care and education for
not only used as tools in themselves but also to make all children until they complete six years of age.
composite tools, spearheads, arrowheads, and sickles
after hafting them on wooden or bone handles. Some 97th Amendment Act of 2011
of the other aspects of the Mesolithic Age are: This act endeavor that the state shall strive to promote
• Pottery is absent at most Mesolithic sites, but it is voluntary formation, autonomous functioning,
present at Langhnaj in Gujarat and in the Kaimur democratic control and professional management of co-
region of Mirzapur (UP). operative societies under Article 43B.
o The last phase of this age saw the beginning of
plant cultivation Q.11) Ans: c
o Paintings in Mesolithic period mainly saw the
use of red colour. In comparison to the Upper
Paleolithic Period, the size of the paintings
became smaller during this period. One of the
most common scenes depicted in these paintings
is of group hunting and several other paintings
depict grazing activity and riding scenes.
o Burials and rock paintings give us ideas about
the development of religious practices and also
reflect the division of labour on the basis of
gender.
• Homo Sapiens appeared in end of upper paleolithic
period. It Coincided with the last phase of the Ice Age, Image: Diatoms
when the climate became comparatively warm and
less humid. • Diatoms are a major group of algae, specifically
microalgae, found in the oceans, waterways, and soils
Q.10) Ans: c of the world
New Directive Principles:
42nd Amendments Act of 1976
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Why RLLR replaced MCLR?

• Whenever the RBI revises the repo rate, the Marginal
Cost of Funds based Lending Rate or MCLR of banks
gets impacted. Any cut in the repo rate means that the
banks can lower the MCLR and vice versa. However,
it has been observed that there is a time lag in the
passing of repo rate cuts from banks to the borrowers.
In case MCLR linked interest rate, the entire repo rate
cut benefit is not passed on.
• In RLLR loans, the transmission is quicker as
compared to MCLR loans.
Image: Rotifers
• The rotifers, commonly called wheel animals or
wheel animalcules, make up a phylum (Rotifera) of
microscopic and near-microscopic pseudocoelomate
animals. Rotifers feed on particulate organic detritus,
dead bacteria, protozoans & algae including diatoms.
They eat particles up to 10 micrometers in size.
• Rotifers are in turn prey to carnivorous secondary
consumers, including shrimp and crabs.
• Crustaceans form a large, diverse arthropod taxon

which includes such animals as crabs, lobsters, Q.13) Ans: a
crayfish, shrimps, prawns Solid fuel ducted Ramjet Technology
• Herrings are a fish, and they eat crustaceans.
• DRDO had successfully tested ‘Solid Fuel Ducted
Q.12) Ans: a Ramjet (SFDR)’ propulsion-based missile system
from ITR, Chandipur, Odisha last year.
About
• The success of SFDR propulsion technology will
• Repo linked lending rate (RLLR): From October 1, pave the way for the development of long-range air-
2019, all new floating rate personal or retail loans to-air missiles in the country
such as your car or home loans that are sanctioned by • The ramjet propulsion system used in the SFDR
banks will have to be linked to external benchmarks, acts as an oxidiser and the solid propellant reacts as
and the central bank’s repo rate is one of them. air flows through a solid propellant duct
• Every bank will have its own Repo linked lending rate • Unlike conventional rockets that carry propellant and
or RLLR which will keep varying each time the oxidiser, Ramjet uses the air as an oxidiser just like a
Reserve Bank of India or the RBI revises the repo jet engine. Therefore, the weight of the fuel required
rate. is eliminated.
• As the name suggests, repo linked lending rate or • SFDR propulsion is designed in such a way that it
RLLR is the lending rate which is linked to the RBI’s allows for an up and down throttling. This further lets
repo rate. However, the effective RLLR interest rate the missile to amplify its speed until it reaches the
depends on multiple factors. For example, the RLLR- terminal phase of the flight.
linked home loan interest rate will depend on several • The speed increases until the point when sharp turns
factors such as what the loan amount is, the loan-to- are required to search for highly manoeuvring
value of the loan and even the risk group of the targets.
borrower, amongst other things. There can be a
Spread or Margin charged by the bank.
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• The first flight of SFDR, developed under a joint is considerably less than if the same earthquake had
Indo-Russian R&D project, was tested in 2018. It occurred at 20 km depth.
had achieved the speed of Mach 3
Of the total energy released in earthquakes, about 12-15
• The Indian SFDR will be used as variants of missiles
per cent comes from intermediate earthquakes, about
such as the advanced version of ASTRA
3-5 per cent from deeper earthquakes and about 70-85
Elimination: Other options could be easily eliminated if per cent from the shallow earthquakes.
one knows that statement 3 is incorrect
Q.16) Ans: c
Q.14) Ans: b
Some of the important excavated Neolithic Sites along
The Mauryas were responsible for introduction of iron on with their unique aspects are as follows:
a large scale in different parts of the sub-continent. The
maintained a monopoly over the production of iron, • Burzahom (unique rectangular chopper, domestic
which was in great demand by the army, industry, and dogs buried with their masters in graves) and
agriculture. It was done through the official called Loha- Gufkraal in Jammu and Kashmir (famous for pit
dwelling, stone tools, and graveyards located within
adyaksha.
households)
Urban taxes included Shulka (duties on imported and • Maski, Brahmagiri, Piklihal (proof of cattle herding),
exported goods) and excise duties on local manufactures. Budihal (community food preparation and feasting),
and Tekkalakota in Karnataka
Certain important officials were: • Paiyampalli in Tamil Nadu and Utnur in Andhra
1) Panyadhyaksha (Officer in charge of trade, price Pradesh
fixation, and sale of goods produced by state-run • Garo Hills in Meghalaya, Chirand in Bihar
manufacturing units) (considerable use of bone implements, especially
2) Sansthadhyaksha (Superintendent of markets) those made of antlers)
3) Rupadarshaka (Inspector of coins) • Saraikhola, near Taxila on Potwar plateau, Amri,
4) Pautavadhyaksha (In charge of standardized Kotdiji and Mehrgarh (the earliest Neolithic site
weights and measures) known as the Breadbasket of Baluchistan, a province
of Pakistan)
A considerable part of the revenue was spent for the • Koldihwa, in Belan valley (unique in terms of the
maintenance of the army, war horses, war elephants, and presence of a three-fold Neolithic, Chalcolithic and
war chariots. The artisans also received maintenance from Iron Age settlements), Koldihwa and Mahagara,
the royal exchequer. Herdsmen were paid grains from the south of Allahabad (many strata of circular huts along
royal granary for their labour for clearing the land of wild with crude hand-made pottery; earliest evidence of
beasts and fowls. rice cultivation in the world)
Q.15) Ans: d • Chopani – Mando, Belan valley (earliest evidence of
use of pottery)
For scientific purposes, this earthquake depth range of 0 • Belan Valley, on the northern spurs of the Vindhyas,
– 700 km is divided into three zones: shallow, and the middle part of the Narmada valley (evidence
intermediate, and deep. of all the three phases of Paleolithic settlement,
followed by Mesolithic and Neolithic settlements)
• Shallow earthquakes are 0 – 70 km deep.
• Intermediate earthquakes are 70 – 300 km deep.
• Deep earthquakes are 300 – 700 km deep. Q.17) Ans: a
Though comparatively of low magnitude, shallow
• The Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-
focus earthquakes can cause relatively greater damage
19 Health Crisis (CAWACH) is an initiative by
at the surface when compared to their deep-focus
counterparts. This is because the strength of shaking National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship
from an earthquake diminishes with increasing distance Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of
from the earthquake's source, so the strength of shaking at Science and Technology (DST), Government of
the surface from an earthquake that occurs at 500km deep India.
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• Given the impact of COVID-19 globally and in Manigiramam, or manigramam, typically refers to a
India, the need of the hour is to support R&D efforts medieval merchant guild, organised by itinerant ethnic
in this direction and end any further damage to the Indian traders, primarily active in south India. Along with
economy. Department of Science and Technology the ainurruvar (the Ayyavole Five Hundred) and the
(DST), Government of India is supporting anjuvannam (the anjuman), the manigiramam played a
major role in the commercial activities of the region.
innovations offering comprehensive solutions for
Unlike the anjuvannam which was confined to the port-
through the startup-ecosystem.
towns of south India, the manigramam is found both in
• DST has nominated Society for Innovation and the port-towns and in the hinter-land trade centres.
Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT B to implement
Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Ashtadiggajas is the collective title given to the eight
Health Crisis (CAWACH) to source and support Telugu scholars and poets in the court of Emperor
startups having solutions to fight pandemic COVID- Krishnadevaraya who ruled the Vijayanagara Empire
from 1509 until his death in 1529. These were Allasani
19 by way of funding. SINE will be supported by
Peddana, Dhurjati, Nandi Thimmana, Madayyagari
Indian STEPs and Business Incubator Association
Mallana, Ayyalaraju Ramabhadrudu, Tenali
(ISBA) in implementation of the program. Ramakrishna , Ramarajabhushanudu
• CAWACH supports innovations in the areas of
diagnostics, devices, informatics including bio- Chaturvedi-mangalam refers to a place peopled by
scholars who were conversant with the four Vedas.
informatics & information management systems,
any intervention for the control of COVID-19 and/or Parishad means council or assembly
startup ideas to address/mitigate various challenges
faced by country / society due to severe impact of Q.20) Ans: b
COVID-19. • Ajivika was founded by Makkhali Gosala. Ajivikas
were very popular in Magadha in the third century
Q.18) Ans: c
BCE and Mauryan kings donated several caves in the
Demand Liabilities honour of Ajivika monks.
• Ajivikas were very popular in Magadha in the third
Demand Liabilities include all liabilities which are century BCE and Mauryan kings donated several
payable on demand that include current deposits, caves in the honour of Ajivika monks.
demand liabilities portion of savings bank deposits, • The Ajivikas, who were rigid fatalists and
margins held against letters of credit/guarantees, balances determinists, supposedly held that the affairs of the
in overdue fixed deposits, cash certificates and entire universe were ordered by a cosmic force called
cumulative/recurring deposits, outstanding Telegraphic niyati that determined all events, including an
Transfers (TTs), Mail Transfer (MTs), Demand Drafts individual’s fate, to the last detail and that barred
(DDs), unclaimed deposits, credit balances in the Cash personal efforts to change or accelerate improvement
Credit account and deposits held as security for advances toward one’s spiritual destiny.
which are payable on demand. Money at Call and Short
• As a result of this static and melancholy view of the
Notice from outside the Banking System should be shown human condition, the Ajivikas practiced austerities
against liability to others. rather than pursue any purposeful goal.
Time Liabilities • No human effort could have any effect against niyati,
and therefore karma is a fallacy.
Time Liabilities are those which are payable otherwise • Nirvana was only reached after living through an
than on demand that include fixed deposits, cash immense number of lives, which proceeded
certificates, cumulative and recurring deposits, time automatically like the unwinding of a ball of thread,
liabilities portion of savings bank deposits, staff security the last life being as an Ajivika monk.
deposits, margin held against letters of credit, if not
payable on demand, deposits held as securities for Q.21) Ans: b
advances which are not payable on demand and Gold
Upasampada: Ordination ceremony when the novice
deposits.
becomes a full-fledged member of the monastic
Q.19) Ans: d community.
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Bhikku Sangha: Sangha of monks Q.23) Ans: b

Parajika: Literally meaning defeat, it included four most Statement 1 is incorrect: When the quantity of money
serious offences involving expulsion from the Sangha demanded increase, the price of money (interest rates)
(sexual intercourse, taking what is not given, killing also increases and causes the demand curve to increase
someone, and making false claim of spiritual attainment). and shift to the right. A decrease in demand would shift
the curve to the left I.e. When interest rates fall, people
Pavarana: Pavarana is a Buddhist holy day celebrated on hold more money.
Aashvin full moon of the lunar month. It marks the end of
the rainy season, sometimes called ‘Buddhist Lent’. On Statement 2 is correct: As income increases, people
this day, each monk must come before the community of demand more money at each interest rate, and as income
monks (Sangha) and atone for an offense he may have falls, they demand less. An increase in real GDP
committed during the Vassa (rainy season). increases incomes throughout the economy.
Upasakas: Male followers who have taken refuge in the
Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, but who have not taken
monastic vows
Uposatha: Ceremony held on full moon and new moon.
Source: Ancient & Mediaval History by Poonam Dala
Dhiya
Q.22) Ans: B
Q.24) Ans: d
Assertion is false: The writ jurisdiction of High Court is
larger than that of Supreme Court. The Supreme Court
can issue writs only for enforcement of Fundamental
Rights whereas High court can issue writs not only for
enforcement of Fundamental Rights but also for other
purpose. The expression for any other purpose refers to
enforcement of an ordinary legal rights. Thus writ
jurisdiction of High Court is wider than that of Supreme
Court.
Reason is false: Article 226, empowers the high courts to
issue, to any person or authority, including the
government (in appropriate cases), directions, orders or
writs, including writs in the nature of habeas corpus,
mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto, certiorari or any of
them where as Article 32 of the Indian Constitution
gives the right to individuals to move to the Supreme
Court to seek justice when they feel that their right has
been 'unduly deprived'
Q.25) Ans: d
• Khaazan farming is practiced in Goa’s estuarine

system.
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• Khazan Farming is a carefully designed topo-hydro- Savannah: Grasses with scattered trees and fire resisting
engineered agro-aquacultural ecosystem mainly thorny most extensive in Africa. Shrubs. The fauna
based on the regulation salinity and tides. includes a great diversity of grazers and browsers such as
• In low lying brackish coastal flood plains and antelopes, buffaloes, zebras, elephants and rhinoceros; the
carnivores include lion, cheetah, hyena; and mongoose,
mangrove forests, bunds are made using locally
and many rodents.
available material to prevent ingress of saltwater.
• To control the flow of tidal waters, people-built Q.27) Ans: b
openings in bunds fitted with sluice gates. These gates
Article 18(1): No title, not being a military or an
acted as one-way valves, allowing water from the
academic distinction, will be conferred by the State
main backwaters to enter the specially dug channels
(poiems) around the fields. Article 18 (2): No citizen of India will accept any title
• This prevented the water from overflowing into the from any of the foreign States.
fields used to grow paddy and which has a low Article 18(3): No person who is not a citizen of India
tolerance to salt. When the tide receded, the sluice will, while he holds any office of the profit or trust under
gates would open outwards automatically, allowing the State, except without the consent of the President
the water from the poiems to drain out. During this any title from any foreign States.
time, a bag net was set at the sluice gate to catch fish
Article 18(4): No person holding any office of the profit
that had entered in earlier.
or trust under the State shall, without the consent of the
Advantages: President, accept any of the presents, emolument, or the
office of any kind from or under any foreign States
• Every bit of space was precious and used efficiently
— the bunds were used to grow a variety of It prohibits the state from the conferring any title (except
military or the academic distinction) on anybody,
vegetables.
whether a citizen or a foreigner. Eg- CA, Dr., IAS,
• Khazan system allowed for the farmer and the fisher MBBS.
to harmoniously coexist and was the key to sustaining
what is considered Goa’s staple — fish, curry and Hereditary titles of nobility like Maharaja, Raj
rice. Bahadur, Rai Bahadur, Rai Saheb, Dewan Bahadur,
etc., which were conferred by colonial States are
Q.26) Ans: b banned by Article 18 as these are against the principle
of equal status of all.
Taiga Biome: The dominating vegetation is coniferous
evergreen. Moderate mostly spruce, with some pine and In Balaji Raghavan v. Union of India, 1996 the validity
firs. temperature than tundra. Also, the fauna consists of of national awards (Padma Shri, Bharat Ratana, Padma
birds, hawks, fur bearing known as boreal forest. Vibhusan etc.) was challenged in the Court under Article
carnivores, little mink, elks, puma, Siberian tiger, 18 on the ground of their inconsistency with that Article.
wolverine, wolves etc. Supreme Court came to the conclusion that they did not
conflict with Article 18 because they did not amount to
Tundra Biome: Devoid of trees except stunted shrubs in
‘titles’ within the meaning of this article. However, SC
the southern region of world adjoining the part of tundra
added that they could not be added as suffixes or prefixes
biome, ground flora includes lichen, ice bound poles
to the names of the awardee and if so, added they could
mosses and sedges. The typical animals are reindeer,
be forfeited.
arctic fox, polar bear, snowy owl, lemming, arctic hare,
ptarmigan. Reptiles and amphibians are almost absent. Q.28) Ans: A
Temperate Decidious Forests: The flora includes trees Crater
like beech, oak, maple and cherry which are hardwood
trees. Most animals are the familiar vertebrates and A volcanic crater is a bowl like structure at the top of a
invertebrates. These are generally the most productive volcano around the opening that is used for eruption of
agricultural areas the earth. magma and lava. This is a depression that is the result of
sinking in of the rocks because of high pressure. Mostly it
has the opening through which lava and ash flows
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upwards. The hot lava weakens the cone like structure and kingdoms as clearing wooded low-lying hills was
causes it to sink in to create a bowl like structure that is comparatively easier than the marshy jungles of
referred to as a crater. plains
• The corporate aspect of government was a major
There are also craters on the surface of the earth that are a attribute of Gana-Sanghas. They were based in
result of the impact with meteors falling from space. smaller geographical areas and had more
(Lonar crater) representative government. The discussion matters
Caldera were placed before the assembly who met in a hall,
called Santhagara. Gana- Puraka was responsible for
A large depression made because of volcanic activity is ensuring quorum required for major deliberations.
called a caldera. It is the result of a large cavity created The council discussed and debated the issues and they
underground when a chamber of magma and lava gets were put to vote, if a unanimous decision could not be
emptied. This cavity creates pressure and the over ground reached. Voting was done with the pieces of wood
rocks collapse to create a large depression. This large known as salakas and salaka-gahapaka (the collector
depression is called a caldera. A caldera is a circular crater of votes) ensured honesty and impartiality.
with almost vertical walls. The central floor of the caldera • The Gana-Sanghas had only two strata−the kshatriya
is later filled by lava flows that take place subsequently. rajakula (ruling families) and the dasa-karmakara
Thus, caldera is both a process as well as a feature that (slaves and labourers).
starts with the collapse of the overlying unstable rocks and • Gana-Sanghas were more ready to tolerate
gets completed with lava filling the floor. unorthodox views and more open to individualistic
Earlier, geologists believed that calderas were formed or independent opinion than the kingdoms. This
because of blowing away of the top of a volcano with rush tolerance was the major reason that two of the most
of magma and lava upwards. venerated gurus of the heterodox sects, i.e., Mahavira
(Jainism, belonged to Vajji confederacy) and Buddha
What is the difference between Caldera and Crater? (Buddhism, belonged to Shakya clan) were able to
propagate their philosophy in a more unrestricted way
• A caldera looks like a volcanic crater, but it is formed in Gana-Sanghas as compared to kingdoms
when the overlying rocks collapse when a magma
chamber is emptied creating vacuum below. Q.30) Ans: c
• A volcanic crater is a bowl like structure at the top of
a volcano that has the opening for the eruption of lava The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime recently
and the ashes. released the World Wildlife Crime Report. The report
• Thus, a caldera is a special type of crater. highlighted trafficking in protected species. According
• A crater is formed by sinking of the top of the volcano to the report Thailand and India are the main source
as lava weakens the rocks. On the other hand, a countries for shipments seized in international trade of
caldera is formed when the overlying rocks collapse tiger parts.
to fill an emptied huge chamber of magma.
The report says that India and Thailand source 82% of
• When a caldera gets filled with water after some time
of its formation, it is called a crater lake such as the illegal shipment of tiger body parts. While identifying
one in Oregon. the nationality of the trafficker, 8% belonged to India,
145 to Vietnamese and 8% were from Indonesia. The
Q.29) Ans: c highest number of traffickers were from China. China
Features about Gana Sangha: accounted to 29% of the traffickers.
• The chief office was not hereditary and was known Q.31) Ans: C
as Ganapati or Ganaraja. The power was vested in an Elimination Technique: If you remember that an
aristocratic council comprising heads of leading earthquake swarm is a series of low magnitude
Kshatriya families and the authority structure of earthquake, option A and D can be easily eliminated. Now
ganas had greater elements of tribal organization. you'll be left with option B and C in which statement 2 is
• Most of the ganas were in or near the Himalayan common so you need not waste your time in verifying the
foothills in eastern India, which also suggests that
probably their establishment predated the transition to
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correctness of it. Now you have to check the correctness Q.34) Ans: A
of statement 3 only.
Elimination Technique: If you remember that tsunami
waves have long wavelengths and relatively longer time
period as compared to wind waves, option B and C can be
easily eliminated. Remember we have to find incorrect
statements. Now you'll be left with option A and D in
which statement 1 and 2 are common so you need not
waste your time in verifying the incorrectness of them.
Now you have to check the incorrectness of statement 3
only.
Properties of Tsunami Waves
• Tsunamis are a series of waves of very, very long
wavelengths and period created in oceans by an
impulsive disturbance.
• Tsunamis behave as shallow-water waves because of
their long wavelengths.
Q.32) Ans: d
• It travels at different speeds in water: it travels slow
About Small Finance banks: in water that is shallow and fast in deep water.
• Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater
• Small Finance Banks are allowed to take deposit explosions (including detonations, landslides, glacier
without any restricions. They can accept NRI calvings, meteorite impacts and other disturbances)
deposits, fixed deposits etc. above or below water all have the potential to
• They can lend but can focus on small landings generate a tsunami.
• They can finance small business units, small and
marginal farmers, micro and small industries and
unorganized sector entities.
• They can issue both debit and credit cards.
• Their CRR, SLR, repo rates and FDI requirements of
small finance banks are same as that of private banks.
• SFBs must have 25% branches in unbanked rural
areas.
Q.33) Ans: c
Q.35) Ans: b
• A newly described species from Madagascar

suggests that dinosaurs and pterosaurs (extinct flying
reptiles) had extremely small ancestors — just 10
centimetres tall.
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• The paper notes that such tiny ancestral body size Harappan settlements were small compared to mature
may help explain the origins of flight in pterosaurs. Harappan ones.
• It was named Kongonaphon kely which roughly Late Harappan settlements were also more in number,
translates from the Malagasy language as ‘tiny bug but they were smaller and more rural.
slayer' — a reference to its insect diet
• Konganphon kely is an extremly small ancestor of Q.38) Ans: d
dinosaurs and petrosaurs (extinct flying reptiles) The first formal mention of dance is found in
• Its fossils were discovered in 1998 as part of an Bharata’s famous work Natyashastra which is a most
expedition by American- Malagasy crew made in comprehensive and vivid treatise on the various facets of
Madagascar. Indian classical dance. Bharata Muni describes dance as
• Kongonaphon was alive (around 237 million years the ‘complete art’ encompassing within its scope all other
ago), Madagascar was directly attached to India as forms of art – music, sculpture, poetry and drama.
part of the supercontinent Gondwana. As per Abhinaya Darpan (5th–4th century BC),
• “Triassic vertebrate fossils of similar age have been Nandikeshwara’s famous treatise on dance, an act has
found in a band of rocks extending across Madhya been broken into three basic elements:
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, but thus far
• Nritta – It refers to the basic dance steps, performed
nothing like Kongonaphon has been found there. rhythmically but devoid of any expression or mood.
Q.36) Ans: d • Natya - It means dramatic representations and refers
to the story that is elaborated through the dance
• NASA has announced the launch of ASTHROS recital.
mission into Antarctica in 2023. • Nritya - Nritya refers to the sentiment and the
• ASTHROS stands for Astrophysics Stratospheric emotions evoked through dance. It includes the mime
Telescope for High Spectral Resolution and the different methods of expression including
Observations at submillimeter wavelengths mudras in the dance
• It aims to send telescope aboard a balloon oof size of Q.39) Ans: B
a football stadium into the stratosphere to observe
the wavelength of lights invisible from earth Statement 1 is correct: The Sama Veda is the collection
of verses mostly taken from the Rig Veda, but arranged in
• It will help in trying to find answers about formation
a poetic form to facilitate singing. It is a collection of
of giant stars in the galaxy. 1,810 melodies, and also contains the famous Dhrupada
Q.37) Ans: a raga, later sung by Tansen. The Upveda of the Sama Veda
is the (Gandharva Veda). Recensions (Shakhas) of the
Statement 1 is correct: Later Harrapan phase was Sama Veda are Kauthuma, Jaiminiya (Talavakara), and
marked by diverse agricutural base. A key Ranayaniya.
development in this phase was the beginning of double
cropping—wheat and barley were grown as winter crops Statement 2 is correct: The Yajur Veda deals with the
and rice, millets, and sorghum were grown as summer procedure for the performance of sacrifices. The texts are
crops. further divided into:
Statement 2 is incorrect: The last phase of the Harappan • Shukla Yajur Veda/White Yajur Veda/Vajasaneya
civilization, that is to say, the Late Harappan phase or the (contains only the Mantras) It contains the
Localization Era, was the post-urban phase defined by a Madhyandina and Kanva recensions.
decline in the cities. This is the final period in the • Krishna Yajur Veda/Black Yajur Veda (contains both
Harappan civilization and refers to the fragmentation of mantras and prose explanations/ commentary). It
the culture of the Integration Era. The Late Harappan contains the Kathaka, Maitrayani, Taittiriya, and
phase comprises five geographical zones each having Kapishthala recensions. The Upveda of the Yajur
distinct phases — the West Punjab Phase (Cemetery- H Veda is the Dhanur Veda.
Culture), the East Punjab Phase, the Jhukar Phase, the
Statement 3 is incorrect: The Rig Veda is a collection of
Rangpur Phase, and the Ganga Yamuna Doab Phase. Late
1,028 hymns, divided into 10 Mandals (books). They are
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the earliest compositions and hence, they depict the life of • Preamble: We, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having
the Early Vedic people in India. Recently, the Rig Veda solemnly resolved to constitute India into a
has been included by the UNESCO in the list of literature SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR
signifying World Human Heritage. The priests related to DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its
the Rig Veda are Kotri or Motri, and the Upveda of the citizens: JUSTICE, Social, Economic and Political;
Rig Veda is the Ayurveda LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and
worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
Q.40) Ans: a and to promote among them all; FRATERNITY
Twin Balance Sheet Problem (TBS) deals with two assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity
balance sheet problems. One with Indian companies and and integrity of the Nation; IN OUR CONSTITUENT
the other with Indian Banks. ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November,
1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE
Thus, TBS is two two-fold problem for Indian economy TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION”.
which deals with: • DPSPs: Art. 38- To promote the welfare of the people
by securing a social order permeated by justice-
• Overleveraged companies – Debt accumulation on
social, economic and political- and to minimize
companies is very high and thus they are unable to
inequalities in income, status, facilities and
pay interest payments on loans. Note: 40% of
opportunities.
corporate debt is owed by companies who are not
earning enough to pay back their interest payments. Q.43) Ans: D
In technical terms, this means that they have an
interest coverage ratio less than 1. Elimination Technique: Statement 2 is common under
• Bad-loan-encumbered-banks – Non-Performing all the options, so you don’t need to verify it. If you know
Assets (NPA) of the banks is 9% for the total banking that seismic zoning map has divided India under 4 zones,
system of India. It is as high as 12.1% for Public you can easily eliminate option B and C. Hence, you will
Sector Banks. As companies fail to pay back principal be left with only A and D. Use your knowledge now to
or interest, banks are also in trouble. check statement 3 and arrive at the answer.
Q.41) Ans: b • Over 59% of India’s land area is under threat of

moderate to severe earthquakes. Hence statement 2 is
• In order for biomagnification to occur, the incorrect.
pollutant must be: long-lived, mobile, soluble in • Based on the past seismic history, Bureau of Indian
fats, biologically active. Standards divided the country into four seismic
• If a pollutant is short-lived, it will be broken down zones, viz. Zone II, III, IV and V. Hence statement 1
before it can become dangerous. If it is not mobile, it and 3 are incorrect.
will stay in one place and is unlikely to be taken up • Zone V is the most seismically active region, while
by organisms. If the pollutant is soluble in water, it zone II is the least active region.
will be excreted by the organism. Pollutants that • The zones are divided on the basis of Modified
dissolve in fats, however, may be retained for a long Mercalli (MM) intensity, which measures the impact
time. of earthquakes.
• It is traditional to measure the amount of pollutants in • The area covered under different seismic zones
fatty tissues of organisms such as fish. In mammals, include
we often test the milk produced by females, since the • Zone II
milk has a lot of fat in it are often more susceptible to • It falls under low intensity zone.
damage from toxins (poisons). If a pollutant is not 1) It covers approx 40% area of the country.
active biologically, it may biomagnify, but we really 2) It comprises of major parts of peninsular region
don’t worry about it much, since it probably won’t and Karnataka Plateau.
cause any problems Examples: DDT. • Zone III
Q.42) Ans: b 1) It falls under moderate intensity zone.
2) It covers approx 30% area of the country.
Social Justice: • Zone IV
1) It falls under severe intensity zone.
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2) It covers approx 17.5% area of the country. • As scenic features of great beauty, attracting a heavy
• Zone V tourist trade, few landforms outrank volcanoes.
1) It falls under very severe intensity zone.
2) It covers approx 11% area of the country. Q.45) Ans: b
3) It comprises of the entire northeastern India, parts of • Context: Union Minister for Finance has informed
Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
that so far Rs 8767 crore has been approved for 81
projects under Special Window for Affordable and
Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Investment
Fund The fund has a target corpus of Rs 12,500 crore
with a greenshoe option of Rs 12,500 crore.
• An overallotment option, sometimes called a

greenshoe option, is an option that is available to
underwriters to sell additional shares during an
Initial Public Offering (IPO). The underwriters are
allowed to sell 15% more shares than the number of
shares they originally agreed to sell, but the option
must be exercised within 30 days of the offering.
The specific details of the allotment are contained in
the IPO underwriting agreement between the issuing
Uttarakhand, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, part of North company and the underwriters.
Bihar and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Q.46) Ans: a
Q.44) Ans: C
Statement 1 is incorrect: Suspension of fundamental
Positives Effects of Volcanoes rights during national emergency is dealt with Article 358
and Article 359.
• Volcanism creates new landforms like islands,
plateaus, volcanic mountains etc. Under article 358 when a proclamation of national
• The volcanic ash and dust are very fertile for farms emergency is made, the six fundamental rights under
and orchards. article 19 are automatically suspended . No separate order
• Volcanic rocks yield very fertile soil upon weathering for their suspension is required.
and decomposition. Article 359 do not automatically suspends any
• Although steep volcano slopes prevent extensive fundamental rights. It only empowers the president to
agriculture, forestry operations on them provide suspend enforcement of specified Fundamental rights.
valuable timber resources. Hence other fundamental rights are not automatically
• Mineral resources, particularly metallic ores are suspended.
brought to the surface by volcanoes.
• The Kimberlite rock (source of diamonds) of South Statement 2 is incorrect: Parliament shall have (and the
Africa is the pipe of an ancient volcano. legislature of state shall not have) powers to make laws
• Waters in the depth are heated from contact with hot for prescribing punishments of those acts that are declared
magma giving rise to springs and geysers. to be offences under fundamental rights . These include
• The geothermal heat energy resource from the earth's the following:
interior in areas of volcanic activity is used to ➢ Untouchability (Article 17)
generate Geothermal Electricity ➢ Traffic in human beings & forced labor (Article 23)
• The Puga valley in Ladakh region and Manikaran
(Himachal Pradesh) are promising spots in India for Further the Parliament after commencement of the
the generation of Geothermal Electricity. Constitution, make laws for prescribing punishment for
• Geothermal potential can also be used for space the above acts, thus making it obligatory on part of
heating. parliament to enact such laws.
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Statement 3 is correct: Article 31A saves five categories Statement 1 is correct: Supreme court in Waman Rao
of laws from being challenged and invalidated on ground case (1981) adhered to doctrine of basic structure of
of contravention of fundamental rights conferred by constitution and clarified that it would apply to
Article 14(equality before law and equal protection of constitutional amendment enacted after April 24,1973
laws) and Article 19 (protection of 6 rights in respect to (i.e., the date of judgement in Keshav Ananda Bharti case)
speech, assembly, movement etc.). They are related to
agricultural land reforms, industry and commerce and Statement 2 is correct: Supreme court in several cases
include the following: such as Election case and Minerva Mills case had declared
Judical review as basic structure of the constitution
➢ Acquisition of estates and related rights of the state.
➢ Taking over the management of properties by the Q.49) Ans: B
state
➢ Amalgamation of corporations
➢ Extinguishment or modification of rights of directors
or shareholders of corporations
➢ Extinguishment or modification of mining leases.
Article 31A does not immunize a state law from judicial
review unless it has been reserved for presidential
consideration and has received his assent.
Q.47) Ans: a
Reserve Money
• Reserve Money (M0): It is also known as High-
Powered Money, monetary base, base money etc.
• Reserve Money is the monetary base of the economy. Q.50) Ans: D
• Reserve Money (M0) = Currency in circulation + UPPER COURSE RIVER FEATURES (YOUTH
Bankers’ Deposits with the RBI + ‘Other’ deposits STAGE = EROSION DOMINATES)
with the RBI.
• It starts from the source of the river in hilly or
Narrow Money (M1) mountainous areas.
• In banking terminology, M1 is called narrow money • As the river moves through the upper course, it cuts
as it is highly liquid and banks cannot run their downwards.
lending programmes with this money. • The gradient (slope) here is steep and the river
• M1 = Currency with the Public + Demand Deposits channel is narrow.
with the Banking System + ‘Other’ deposits with the • Vertical erosion in this highland part of the river helps
RBI. to create steep-sided V-shaped valleys, interlocking
• M2 = M1 + Savings Deposits of Post-office Savings spurs, rapids, waterfalls and gorges
Banks MIDDLE COURSE (MATURE STAGE =
Broad Money (M3) TRANSPORTATION DOMINATES)
• The money component M3 is called broad money in • In the middle course the river has more energy and a
the banking terminology. With this money (which lies high volume of water.
with banks for a known period) banks run their • In this stage, vertical erosion slowly starts to replace
lending programmes. with lateral erosion (sideways). This causes widening
• M3 = M1 + Time Deposits with the Banking System. of the river channel.
• M4 = M3 + All deposits with Post Office Savings • The river channel has also deepened.
Banks (excluding National Savings Certificates). • A larger river channel means there is less friction, so
• M3 and M4 are known as broad money the water flows faster.
• Landforms like alluvial fans, piedmont alluvial
Q.48) Ans: c plains, meanders etc. can be seen at this stage.
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LOWER COURSE FEATURES (OLD STAGE = short title contained in Articles 5,6, 7, 8,9.60 324, 366
DEPOSITION DOMINATES) ,367,379,380,388, 391,392 and 393 came into force on
26th November 1950.
• In the lower course, the river has a high volume and a
large discharge. Q.53) Ans: c
• Heavy debris brought down from upper and middle
courses.
• Vertical erosion has almost stopped but lateral
erosion still goes on.
• The work of the river is mainly deposition. This
builds up its bed and form an extensive flood plain.
• Landforms like braided channels, floodplains, levees,
meanders, oxbow lakes, deltas etc. can be seen at this
stage.
Q.51) Ans: c
• Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small

amounts in earth’s crust. While it has some
beneficial uses, it can be toxic to humans and
animals causing health effects.
• Lead is used in wide variety of products found in
and around our homes including paints, ceramics, Q.54) Ans: c
pipes, plumbing materials etc.
• Lead is a potent neurotoxin that causes irreprable
harm to children’s brain.
• Exposure to high levels of lead may cause anemia,
weakness, and kidney and brain damage. Extremely
high lead exposure can cause death. Lead can cross
the placental barrier, which means pregnant women
who are exposed to lead also expose their unborn
child. Lead can damage a developing baby's nervous
system.
• WHO has identified lead as 1 of 10 chemicals of
major public health concern.
• Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint is a Based on the replacement period a nutrient cycle is
cooperative initiative jointly led by WHO and UNEP referred to as Perfect or Imperfect cycle.
• Rajasthan is the largest producer of lead in India.
• A perfect nutrient cycle is one in which nutrients
Itai Itai disease is caused by cadmium poisoning. are replaced as fast as they are utilized. Most
gaseous cycles are generally considered as perfect
Q.52) Ans: b
cycles.
Statement 1 is incorrect: On 26 November 1949, the • In contrast sedimentary cycles are considered
Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution relatively imperfect, as some nutrients are lost from
of India, and it came into effect on 26 January 1950. 26th the cycle and get locked into sediments and so
November is celebrated as constitution day today to become unavailable for immediate cycling.
celebrate the adoption of the constitution. • Based on the nature of the reservoir, there are two
types of cycles namely Gaseous and sedimentary
Statement 2 is correct: Some provisions of constitution cycle
pertaining to citizenship, elections, provisional
parliament, temporary and transitional provisions and
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• Gaseous Cycle – where the reservoir is the • Examples are the Basin Range of Nevada (USA), the
atmosphere or the hydrosphere, and Rocky mountain system of North America and the
• Sedimentary Cycle – where the reservoir is the earth’s Appalachian.
crust.
4. Mountain Chain
Q.55) Ans: a
• It consists of mountain ranges which differ in size and
About Charter Act of 1813 periods of formation.
• It refers to highlands composed of different types of
• Throwing open the Indian trade to all British subjects, mountains viz., fold, block, or volcanic mountains
though the company’s monopoly of trade in tea and although there is a proper arrangement of the
trade with China was not disturbed. mountains.
• Providing an annual sum of Rs. 1,00,000 for the 5. Cordillera
spread of education.
• It required the company’s servants to undergo • Cordillera refers to several mountain groups and
some training in England before entering service systems.
The company’s monopoly of trade in tea and trade • Example = the Western Cordillera in the western part
with China was ended by Charter's act of 1833. of the USA and in British Columbia of Canada.
According to Charter Act of 1853 there was to be an Q.57) Ans: b

Appointment of a separate Lieutenant Governor for MERCHANT DISCOUNT RATE (MDR)
Bengal and making Dalhousie the first real Governor
General of India (i.e. without any additional charge). • MDR is the cost paid by a merchant to a bank for
accepting payment by digital means from their
Q.56) Ans: D customers, which is usually recovered from the
1. Mountain Ridge customer.
• MDR also called as the Transaction Discount Rate
• Mountains originated as a result of local folding and (TDR)
faulting. • MDR is user-fee charged by the banks to merchants
• Generally, the slope of one side of the ridge is steep for facilitating card-based or digital transactions. It is
and other side is moderate (In case of Himalayas, the charged as a percentage of the transaction amount.
southern slope is steeper compared to the northern • Recently the government has done away with
slope). MDR altogether for large-retails clearing the way for
• In some cases a ridge may have a symmetrical slope adoption of low-cost digital payments like BHIM
on both sides. UPI, UPI-QR Code, Aadhaar Pay etc.
2. Mountain Range Q.58) Ans: D
• It refers to a series of ridges which originated in the RESIDUAL OR DISSECTED MOUNTAIN
same age and underwent the same processes.
• The most prominent or characteristic feature of • These mountains are evolved by denudation.
mountain ranges is their long and narrow extension. • That is why they are also known as relict mountains
• Example or mountains of circumdenudation.
• Himalayas are a mountain range with Himadri ridge, • They have been worn down from previously existing
Himachal ridge, and Shiwalik ridge. elevated regions.
• Examples
3. Mountain System • Nilgiri Hills,
• A group of mountain ranges formed in a single period, • Parasnath,
similar in their form, structure and extension, is • The Aravallis,
termed a mountain system. • Girnar,
• Rajmahal,
• the Nallamala hills,
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• Mahendragiri hills, Article 1 of the constitution describes India as Union of

• the Javadi hills, states to make it clear that states have no right to secede
• the Veliconda hills, and from the Union, implying indestructible nature of the
• the Palkonda range. Union. It aims at overcoming hinderances to national
integration like communalism, regionalism, casteism,
But Nilgiris got their present height as a result of linguism, secessionism etc.
subsequent uplift.
Q.60) Ans: d
Q.59) Ans: d
Indra
Fraternity means a sense of brother-hood. The
constitution promotes this feeling of fraternity by • Greatest god of the Aryans
single citizenship. • 250 hymns are attributed to him
• Called Purandhar (Breaker of forts), Maghavan
The preamble declares fraternity has to assure two things- (bounteous), and Vritrahan (Slayer of Vritra, chaos)
dignity of individual of individual and integrity of the
nation. The word integrity was added to preamble by 42nd Q.61) Ans: b
Amendment 1976.
• Yellow fever is a hemorrhagic fever that originated
Dignity of the individual is assured via. in the central belt of Africa but spread to South
Fundamental rights: America in the 17th century with the slave trade.
• Yellow fever is caused by a virus that is spread by
➢ Article 15(2): guaranteeing non-discriminatory infected mosquitos
access to certain public spaces such as shops • It is endemic in tropical areas of Africa &
➢ Article 17 : prohibiting untouchability Central South America
➢ Article 23 : prohibiting “forced labour”
• Yellow fever is prevented by an extremly effective
Directive Principle of state policy vaccine which is safe and affordable
• Eliminate yellow fever epidemics (EYE) 2017-26
It Aim at realising the high ideals of justice, liberty,
equality and fraternity as outlined in Preamble to the has been developed by coalition of patner (Gavi,
Constitution. UNICEF and WHO) which aims at ending yellow
fever epidemics by 2026.
➢ Article: 46: The State shall promote with special
care the educational and economic interests of the Q.62) Ans: b
weaker sections of the people, and, in particular, of
Context: World day against trafficking in persons is
the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and
shall protect them from social injustice and all being observed on July 30.
forms of exploitation. About Blue Heart Campaign
➢ Article 39(e) that the health and strength of
workers, men and women, and the tender age of • It is a global awareness raising initiative to fight
children are not abused and that citizens are not human trafficking and its impact on society.
forced by economic necessity to enter avocations • It was started by UNODC.
unsuited to their age or strength.
• It seeks to encourage involvement from
Fundamental Duties governments, civil society, the corporate sector and
individuals alike, to inspire action and help prevent
➢ To promote harmony and the spirit of common this heinous crime.
brotherhood amongst all the people of India
transcending religious, linguistic and regional or • The Blue Heart is increasingly recognized as the
sectional diversities; to renounce practices international symbol against human trafficking,
derogatory to the dignity of women; representing the sadness of those who are trafficked
➢ To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and while reminding us of the cold-heartedness of those
integrity of India who buy and sell fellow human beings.
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• The campaign allows people to show their solidarity • Context: The recent explosion in Beirut, the capital
with the victims of human trafficking and increasing of Lebanon has taken a toll of around 135 lives.
their visibility by wearing the Blue Heart.
Q.63) Ans: d
• If a spacecraft is launched from a site near Earth's
equator, it can take optimum advantage of the Earth's
substantial rotational speed. Sitting on the launch pad
near the equator, it is already moving at a speed of
over 1650 km per hour relative to Earth's center. This
can be applied to the speed required to orbit the Earth
(approximately 28,000 km per hour). Compared to a
launch far from the equator, the equator-launched
vehicle would need less propellant, or a given vehicle
can launch a more massive spacecraft.
• Coriolis force is highest at poles and lowest at equator
• The poles are closer to the center due to the equatorial
bulge, and thus have a stronger gravitational field
Q.64) Ans: a
• In Pillar Edict 4 Ashoka claims that he had introduced Q.66) Ans: a
samata (fairness) in judicial procedures. The same ➢ As per the procedure laid out by article 368 for
edict refers to a three-day respite for those who were amendment of the Constitution, an amendment can be
condemned to death to appeal the decision, which initiated only by the introduction of a Bill in either
indicates that death penalty was present even House of Parliament.
during Ashoka’s time. ➢ The Bill must then be passed in each House by a
• Taxes were levied both in cash and kind. The bali majority of the total membership of that House and
(land tax or tax on the area of land) was the main by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the
item of revenue and was levied at the rate of one-sixth members of that House present and voting.
of the produce. Peasants had to pay many other taxes ➢ There is no provision for a joint sitting in case of
like Pindakara (assessed on groups of villages), disagreement between the two Houses.
Hiranya (paid only in cash), Kara (levied on fruits and ➢ The Bill, passed by the required majority, is then
flower gardens), etc., but the exact nature of all of presented to the President who shall give his assent to
them is still not very clear. Land tax was collected by the Bill.
a class of officials called Agranomoi (by ➢ If the amendment seeks to make any change in any of
Megasthenes). the provisions mentioned in the proviso to article 368,
• The Mauryas were responsible for introduction of it must be ratified by the Legislatures of not less than
iron on a large scale in different parts of the sub- one-half of the States. These provisions include:
continent. They maintained a monopoly over the • the election of the President (articles 54 and 55);
production of iron, which was in great demand by • the extent of the executive power of the Union
the army, industry, and agriculture. It was done and the States (articles 73 and 162)
through the official called Loha-adyaksha. • the High Courts for Union territories (article
• In order to augment the resource base, the Mauryan 241)
state founded new agricultural settlements to • The Union Judiciary and the High Courts in the
bring virgin land under cultivation States (Chapter IV of Part V and Chapter V of
(Shunyanivesha). People from overpopulated areas, Part VI)
slaves, and prisoners of war were brought to these • the distribution of legislative powers between
new settlements to work on the fields. the Union and the States (Chapter I of Part XI
and Seventh Schedule)
Q.65) Ans: c • the representation of States in Parliament
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Q.67) Ans: a • As the flood starts to go down, the water deposits

sediment and covers up the ends of the meander
• Standing deposit facility is a collateral free liquidity making an oxbow lake.
absorption mechanism which aims to absorb
liquidity from commercial banking system into RBI. Q.69) Ans: d
• The SDF will allow the RBI to suck out liquidity
without offering government securities as collateral. • In its pure form, ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is a
• Concept was first recommended by the Urjit Patel white, crystalline chemical which is soluble in
committee report in 2014. water. It is the main ingredient in the manufacture of
• The new scheme has been proposed by the Union commercial explosives used in mining and
Budget 2018-19. construction.
• The scheme is aimed at helping RBI to manage • A common chemical ingredient of agricultural
liquidity in a better way, especially when the fertilisers, the nitrogen rich compound is also the
economy is flush with excess fund (as was seen after main component of the explosive composition known
the demonetisation 2016). as ANFO — ammonium nitrate fuel oil.
• Within the existing liquidity management framework, • Pure ammonium nitrate is not an explosive on its
liquidity absorption through reverse repos, open own and does not burn on its own.
market operations and the cash reserve ratio (CRR)
• However, at high enough temperatures, however,
are at the discretion of the Reserve Bank.
ammonium nitrate can violently decompose on its
• On the other hand, the use of standing facilities (MSF,
SDF) would be at the discretion of banks own
• The difference between the Standing Deposit Facility • It is classified as an oxidiser (Grade 5.1) under the
and Reverse Repo is that there is no need for collateral United Nations classification of dangerous goods as
under the SDF. its decoposition provide a much more concentrated
supply of oxygen than the air around us.
Q.68) Ans: D
• If mixed with ingredients like fuel or some other
Meanders (Lateral erosion) contaminants, or because of some other external
factors, it can be very explosive.
• As the river erodes laterally, to the right side then the
left side, it forms large bends, and then horseshoe-like Regulation of Ammonium Nitrate
loops called meanders.
• In large flood and delta plains, rivers rarely flow in • The manufacture, conversion, bagging, import,
straight courses. Loop-like channel patterns called export, transport, possession for sale or use of
meanders develop over flood and delta plains. ammonium nitrate is covered under The Ammonium
• The formation of meanders is due to both deposition Nitrate Rules, 2012.
and erosion and meanders gradually migrate • The rules also make storage of ammonium nitrate in
downstream. large quantities in populated areas illegal in India.
• Outside of the bend where water flow has most
energy due to decreased friction, the force of the • For the manufacture of ammonium nitrate, an
water erodes and undercuts the river bank. Industrial license is required under the Industrial
• Inside of the bend, river flow is slower due to the
more friction leading deposition of material. Development and Regulation Act, 1951.
Oxbow Lake • A license under the Ammonium Nitrate Rules,
• An oxbow lake is a meander that is no longer attached 2012 is also required for any activity related to
to the river.
ammonium nitrate.
• The water has to find a straighter route downstream
during the floods, so the water flows over the ends of Q.70) Ans: a
the meander.
Socialistic Principles: these principles reflect the
ideology of socialism. They lay down the framework of a
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democratic socialist State, aim at providing social and • Wheat, barley, rai, peas, sesame, lentil, chickpea and
economic justice, and set the path towards welfare State. mustard were produced. Millets are also found from
They are total 8 in number. They direct the State:- sites in Gujarat. While rice uses were relatively rare.
• Harappa was possibly ruled by a class of merchants.
• Article 38: to promote welfare of the people by
• Harappa and Mohenjodaro each had its own citadel
securing a social order permeated by justice- social,
or acropolis, which was possibly occupied by
economic and political- and to minimize inequalities
members of the ruling class.
in income, status, facilities and opportunities (second
• Below the citadel in each city lay a lower town
part about minimising inequalities was added by 44th
CAA 1978). containing brick houses, which were inhabited by
the common people.
• Article 39: to secure- a) the right to adequate means
of livelihood for all citizens; b) the equitable • The use of burnt bricks in the Harappan cities is
remarkable, because in the contemporary buildings of
distribution of material resources of the community
Egypt mainly dried bricks were used.
for the common good; c) prevention of concentration
of wealth and means of production; d) equal pay for ▪ Houses generally had side entrances and there
were no windows even facing the main streets.
equal work for men and women; e) preservation of
the health and strength of workers and children Q.72) Ans: D
against forcible abuse; f) opportunities for healthy
development of children (this last point about TRANSPORTATION TYPES
children was added by 42nd CAA 1976).
The transportation of eroded materials is carried in four
• Article 39A: to promote equal justice and to provide ways:
free legal aid to the poor (added by 42nd CAA 1976).
• Article 41: to secure the right to work, to education 1) Traction: The heavier and larger rock fragments like
and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, gravels, pebbles etc are forced by the flow of the river
old age, sickness and disablement. to roll along its bed. This process is called as traction
• Article 42: to make provision for just and humane and the load transported in this way are called traction
conditions of work and maternity relief. load.
• Article 43: to secure a living wage (living 2) Saltation: Some of the fragments of the rocks move
wage=minimum wage (food, shelter & clothing), a along the bed of a stream by jumping or bouncing
decent standard of life and social and cultural continuously. This process is called as saltation.
opportunities for all workers. 3) Suspension: The holding up of small particles of
• Article 43A: to take steps to secure the participation sand, silt and mud by the water as the stream flows is
of workers in the management of industries (added called suspension.
by 42nd CAA 1976). 4) Solution: Some parts of the rock fragments dissolved
• Article 47: to raise the level of nutrition and the in the river water and transported. This type of
standard of living of people and to improve public transportation is called solution transportation.
health. Q.73) Ans: a
Prohibition on consumption of intoxicating drinks and
Context: Plastics from used PPE can be transformed
drugs is a Gandhian Principle.
into renewable liquid fuels using chemical process called
Q.71) Ans: c pyrolysis
• Most Harappan sites are located in semi-arid lands, • Pyrolysis is the heating of material, such as biomass,
where irrigation was probably required for in the absence of oxygen.
agriculture. • Because no oxygen is present the material does not
• Traces of canals have been found at the Harappan combust but the chemical compounds (i.e. cellulose,
site of Shortughai in Afghanistan, but not in Punjab hemicellulose and lignin) that make up that material
or Sindh. thermally decompose into combustible gases and
• Although the Harappans practised agriculture,
charcoal.
animals were also reared on a large scale.
• Most of these combustible gases can be condensed
into a combustible liquid, called pyrolysis oil (bio-
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oil), though there are some permanent gases (CO-2, • Mohiniyattam generally narrates the story of the
CO, H2, light hydrocarbons). feminine dance of Vishnu.
• Thus, pyrolysis of biomass produces three products: • It has its own Nritta and Nritya aspects like that of
one liquid, bio-oil, one solid, bio-charand one other classical dances.
gaseous (syngas). The proportion of these products • The Lasya aspect (beauty and grace) of dance is
depends on several factors including the composition dominant in a Mohiniyattam recital. Hence, it is
of the feedstock and process parameters mainly performed by female dancers.
• The dance is accompanied by music and songs.
Q.74) Ans: a • The element of air is symbolised through a
Mohiniyattam performance.
• The Galapagos Islands, spread over almost 60,000 • Musical instruments used are: cymbals, veena, drums,
sq km, are a part of Ecuador, and are in the Pacific flute, etc.
Ocean around 1,000 km away from the South
American continent. The giant tortoises found here – Dancing on the brass plate by keeping the feet on its edges
‘Galápagos’ in old Spanish– give the islands its is a feature of Kucchipudi.
name. In 1978, the islands became UNESCO’s first Q.77) Ans: c
World Heritage Site.
• Fire plays an important role in the management of
• Port Louis is the capital city of Mauritius, in the grasslands.
Indian Ocean. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his • Under moist conditions fire favours grass over
trees, whereas in dry conditions fire is often
Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth on Thursday
necessary to maintain grasslands against the invasion
jointly inaugurated the new Supreme Court building of desert shrubs.
of Mauritius at Port Louis. • Burning increases the forage yields.
Agatti Island is a 7.6 km long island, situated on a Q.78) Ans: c
coral atoll called Agatti atoll in the Union Territory of
Lakshadweep, India. Recently NGT had put an • The Later Vedic culture was focused on the centrality
interim stay on felling of coconut of the cult of sacrifice. Sacrifice became more
important and elaborate, and assumed both public and
Q.75) Ans: b domestic character. There was an increase in the
• Al nagah is joint military training exercise between frequency and number of the yajnas, which generally
Indian Army and Royal Oman Army. involved the killing of animals on a large scale and
• Khanjar is a joint exercise between Indian & the destruction of cattle wealth.
Kyrgyzstan • Unlike the Rig Vedic age where only voluntary
• Prabal Dostyak is a joint exercise between Indian & offerings were taken and per se no revenue
Kazakhstan collection was done, in the Later Vedic age,
• Dustalik is a joint military exercise between India & collection of taxes and tributes was made mandatory
Uzbekistan . It was recently held for the first time and were done by Sangrihitri. It is equally interesting
among the armies of the two nations to note that the Vaishyas appear to be the only tribute
payers in Later Vedic times.
Q.76) Ans: b • The society was largely rural. However, towards the
end of the period, there are traces of the beginning
• Mohiniyattam literally interpreted as the dance of of urbanism (as nagar in the sense of a town is
‘Mohini’, the celestial enchantress of the Hindu mentioned in the Taittiriya Aranyaka).
mythology, is the classical solo dance form of
Kerala. Q.79) Ans: B
• Mohiniyattam combines the grace and elegance of
Erosional Landforms of River:
Bharatnatyam with the vigour of Kathakali. There is
a marked absence of thumping of footsteps and the 1) Valleys
footwork is gentle. 2) Potholes
3) Plunge pools
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4) Rapid About COVID19BWM APP

5) Waterfall
6) Incised meanders • Developed by Central Pollution Control Board to
7) River Terraces track biomedical waste
• It allows a generator of waste (urban local body in
Depositional Landforms of River: case of home and hospital) ; the picker of waste
1) Alluvial Fans (transport of ULB) and waste treatment operator to
2) Deltas feed in data so that covid-19 biomedical waste can
3) Floodplains' be tracked and monitored.
4) Natural Levees
5) Point bars Q.82) Ans: c
6) Braided channel About Mahapadma Nanda
7) Meanders
8) Oxbow lake • Also called Ugrasena in Pali texts, because of his
large army. According to the Brahmanical texts, he
Q.80) Ans: c belonged to a low caste or at least a non-Kshatriya
• A combined-cycle power plant uses both a gas and a caste, while according to the Puranas, he was the son
steam turbine together to produce up to 50 percent of a king of the Shishunaga dynasty by a Shudra
woman, and thus the Nandas were considered
more electricity from the same fuel than a traditional
adharmika (those who do not follow the norms of
simple-cycle plant. Dharma).
• The waste heat from the gas turbine is routed to the • Buddhist texts describe the Nandas as belonging to
nearby steam turbine, which generates extra power. annatakula (of unknown lineage).
• It will reduce the share of environmentally harmful • The first empire builder of India, and claimed to be
and expensive fuels like coal and oil. the ekarat, the sole sovereign who destroyed all other
ruling princes, and sarva-kshatrantaka, uprooter of
the Kshatriyas.
• Added Kalinga to Magadha and brought an image of
Jina as a victory trophy.
• Also acquired Kosala, which had, in all likelihood,
rebelled against him.
• Made methodical collection of taxes by regularly
appointing officials. He also built canals and did a lot
of irrigation work.
Q.83) Ans: c
It was launched by the Minister of Finance. The
composite index gives a snapshot of level of financial
inclusion that would guide Macro Policy perspective. The
index will have three measurement dimensions, viz.
1) access to financial services
2) usage of financial services; and
3) the quality of the products and the service delivery.
Q.81) Ans: c
Q.84) Ans: b
Supreme court has made mandatory for all municipal
Context: Amnesty International has urged NHRC and
corporations and state pollution control boards to use
NCW to open offices in J&K
COVID19BWM APP for tracking biomedical waste
daily. About National Commission of Women (NCW)
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• Set up in 1992 under the National Commission for • Anticlines and synclines are the most common up-
Women Act, 1990. and-down folds that result from compression.
• It recommends the remedial legislative measures, • Anticline = ∩-shape with the oldest rocks in the center
facilitates redressal of grievances and advises the of the fold.
government on all policy matters affecting women • Syncline = U-shape, with the youngest rocks in the
It enjoys all the powers of a civil court. center of the fold.
• Minimum number of members should be 7 including
chairman and a member secretary. All are nominated
by central government
• Functions of NCW includes inquiry and
investigation in matters related to safeguards of
women, planning process of socio-economic
development of women, propose measures to
encourage their representation in all spheres and
review their advancement and legal intervention.
• NCW created Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalat, (PMLA)
which is an innovative component with its roots in
the traditional Nyaya Panchayats
Q.87) Ans: d
Q.85) Ans: d
Context: The ongoing contempt of court charges on
Statement 1 is incorrect: The development of advocate Prashant Bhusan
metallurgy started in India from the Bronze Age. In
fact, the progress from Bronze Age to Iron Age to the About Contempt of court
present owes a great contribution to developments in • Contempt refers to the offence of showing disrespect
metallurgy. In the area of smelting of metals,
to the dignity or authority of a court.
Indians had an expertise in extraction of metals from ore • Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 categorises 2 kinds of
and its casting. It is possible that India had borrowed this contempts:
idea form Mesopotamia. The best evidences of Indian
metallurgy are Iron Pillar of Mehrauli in Delhi and and 1.Civil Contempt: wilful disobedience of an order of
Idol of Gautama Buddha in Sultanganj, Bihar. They have any court.
not caught rust yet even after thousands of years later after
its manufacture 2.Criminal contempt includes any act or publication
which:
Statement 2 is incorrect: The preservation of ancient
literature was generally done on palm leaves. However, i. ‘scandalises’ the court, or
the use of paper begun in the medieval period.
ii. prejudices any judicial proceeding, or
Kashmir, Patna, Murshidabad, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad,
Mysore, etc. were well known centres of paper iii. interferes with the administration of justice in any
production. The process of paper making was almost other manner.
same throughout the nation.
• ‘Scandalising the Court’ broadly refers to statements
Q.86) Ans: C
or publications which have the effect of undermining
public confidence in the judiciary.
Folds
A fold is an undulating structure (wave-like) that forms • Source of contempt power: According to Law
due to the application of compressional stress on rocks or Commission Supreme Court and High Courts)
a part of the earth’s crust. The folds are made up of derive their contempt powers from the Constitution.
multiple strata (rock layers). Some important • Article 129 of the Constitution conferred on the
terminologies related to folds are Supreme Court the power to punish contempt of
itself.
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• Article 215 conferred a corresponding power on executive action as it does not involve cession of India
the High Courts. territory to a foreign country
• The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, gives statutory Question may arise why 100th constitutional amendment
backing to the idea and only outlines the procedure was needed in context of exchange of enclaves with
in relation to investigation and punishment for Bangladesh?
contempt
• When the issue of exchange of enclaves came up in
Q.88) Ans: d 1958, the President of India requested the Supreme
Court of India for its opinion on whether a legislative
action is necessary for the implementation of the
India-Pakistan (Nehru-Noon) Agreement.
• The Supreme Court opined that implementation of the
agreement requires an amendment to the constitution
because the exchange of enclaves involves cessation
of some territory to Bangladesh.
• Since the implementation of the agreement would
result in the reduction in the total area of India, Article
1 as well as relevant portions of the First Schedule of
the Constitution would have to be amended.
• The Supreme Court further stated that if the
parliament makes a law under Article 3 (pertaining to
creation of a new state or alteration of areas,
boundaries or name of an existing state), as exchange
of enclaves would involve changes in the total area of
the state of West Bengal, it could do so under Article
368.
Q.90) Ans: b
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Mathura School
flourished on the banks of the river Yamuna in the
MAA - "Mother’s Absolute Affection" is a nationwide period between 1st and 3rd centuries AD. This was
program of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in much later than Muryan Period (322 BC- 185 BC). The
an attempt to bring undiluted focus on promotion of sculptures of the Mathura School were influenced by the
breastfeeding and provision of counselling services for stories and imageries of all three religions of the time –
Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. The images were
supporting breastfeeding through health systems. The
modelled on the earlier yaksha images found during the
program has been named ‘MAA’ to signify the support a Mauryan period.
lactating mother requires from family members and at
health facilities to breastfeed successfully. Statement 2 is incorrect: Ashokan pillars were
independently erected. The shaft of the Ashokan pillars
Q.89) Ans: d were monolithic, i.e. they were inscribed from a single
The constitution (Article 4) itself declares that laws made piece of stone (mainly chunar sandstones).
for admission or establishment of new states (Article 2)
and formation of new states and alteration of areas, Statement 3 is correct: Pottery of the Mauryan period is
boundaries or names of existing states (Article 3) are not generally referred to as Northern Black Polished Ware
to be considered as amendments of the constitution under (NBPW). They were characterized by the black paint and
Article 368. This means that such laws can be passed by highly lustrous finish and were generally used as luxury
simple majority and by ordinary legislative process items. They have often been referred to as the highest
level of pottery.
Supreme court in 1969 ruled that settlement of boundary
dispute between India and another country does not Q.91) Ans: A
require constitutional amendments. It can be done via
39 | P a g e

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Statement 1 is correct: As we move away from the • It arose as reaction against company style of
equator towards the poles the length of latitude decreases. paintings and style promoted by Indian artists such
But the length of longitude always remains the same as Raja Ravi Verma.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The distance between two • They broke away from the tradition of oil painting
longitudes decreases while it remains same between two • It was also called the Renaissance School as well as
latitudes. the Revivalist School
• The turned to the inspiration to medieval Indian
Q.92) Ans: b
traditions of the miniature paintings and ancient art of
Context: National Galary of Modern Art, New Delhi mural paintings in Ajanta Caves.
is organising the virtual tour titled “The Great Maestro • The painters made best possible efforts to bring in the
| Abanindranath Tagore” to commemorate the 150th rhythm, linear gracefulness and poise of Ajanta in
Birth Anniversary of Abanindranath Tagore on 7th their painting. Influence of Mughal and Rajasthan
August 2020. School can also be seen.
• Elegant and refined figures and the paintings
exhibited skilfully exposed light and shade without
any hardness.
• The paintings were Simple and standard paintings
with attractive colour scheme technique. Bright
colours were not used in such paintings.
• The initial artists also borrowed profusion from
Chinese Calligraphy, Japanese coloring and Persian
finish.
Q.93) Ans: c
Statement 1 is incorrect: Early Gandhara School used
bluish-grey sandstone while the later period saw the
use of mud and stucco.
It was the sculptures of Mathura School were made using
spotted red sandstone.
Statement 2 is correct: Heavy influence of Greek or
Hellenistic sculpture was seen in Gandhara School, so it
is also known as Indo-Greek art.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The Buddha is shown in a
spiritual state, with wavy hair. He wears fewer
Fig: Ashoka's Queen Painted by Abindranath Tagore ornaments and seated in a yogi position. The eyes are half
closed as in meditation. A protuberance is shown on the
• Abanindranath Tagore, the nephew of
head signifying the omniscience of Buddha
Rabindranath Tagore, was one of the most
prominent artists of Bengal school of art in India. He It was in Mathura school where Buddha is shown in
was the first major supporter of swadeshi values delighted mood with a smiling face. The body is
in Indian art. muscular, wearing tight dress. The face and the head are
• He first created the ‘Indian Society of Oriental shaven. Buddha is seated in padmasana with different
mudras and his face reflects grace.
Art’ and later went on to establish Bengal school
of art. Q.94) Ans: a
About Bengal School of Art Statement 1 is incorrect: The 42nd Amendment Act,
1976 transferred 5 subjects to concurrent list from state
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list- Education, Forest, Weights and Measures, Protection • He holds office for a period of six years or upto the
of wild animals and birds, administration of justice. age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
Statement 2 is correct: Art. 43- to promote cottage Constitutional provisions which ensure the
industries on an individual or co-operation basis in rural independence of CAG are:
areas.
• CAG is provided with the security of tenure. He
11th schedule:
can be removed by the president only in accordance
• Agriculture including agricultural expansion with the procedure mentioned in the Constitution.
• Land improvement, implementation of land reforms, Thus, he does not hold his office till the pleasure of
land consolidation and soil conservation the president, though he is appointed by him.
• Animal Husbandry, Dairying and poultry • He is not eligible for further office, either under the
• Fisheries Industry Government of India or of any state, after he ceases
• Minor irrigation, water management and watershed to hold his office.
development • His salary and other service conditions are
• Social forestry and farm forestry determined by the Parliament. His salary is equal
• Small scale industries in which food processing to that of a judge of the Supreme Court.
industry is involved • Neither his salary nor his rights in respect of leave of
• Minor forest produce
absence, pension or age of retirement can be altered
• Safe water for drinking
to his disadvantage after his appointment.
• Khadi, village and cottage industries
• The administrative expenses of the office of the
• Rural housing
CAG, including all salaries, allowances and
• Fuel and fodder
pensions of persons serving in that office are
• Rural electrification, including distribution of
electricity charged upon the Consolidated Fund of India.
Thus, they are not subject to the vote of
Q.95) Ans: b Parliament.
Context: Former Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Q.96) Ans: c
Governor GC Murmu was recently appointed as the
new Comptroller and Auditor General of India • Pangolin is only scaly mammal on the planet.
(CAG). • According to CITES, it is also the most illegally
traded vertebrate within its class (Mammalia).
About CAG: • Of the eight species of pangolin worldwide, two are
• The Constitution of India provides for an found in India. They are Chinese pangolin, mostly
independent office of the Comptroller and Auditor found in northeast India and Indian pangolin.
General of India (CAG) in chapter V under Part V. Protection Status:
• The CAG is mentioned in the Constitution of India
under Article 148 – 151. • Chinese pangolin has been listed as “critically
• He is the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts endangered”.
Department. • Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) has been
• He is the guardian of the public purse and controls listed as “endangered”.
the entire financial system of the country at both the • It is also a Schedule I category protected animal,
levels- the centre and state. under the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).
• His duty is to uphold the Constitution of India and
the laws of Parliament in the field of financial
administration.
• The CAG is appointed by the President of India by a
warrant under his hand and seal.
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Q.97) Ans: c • Generally, there is no water tank in the temple

premises and the pradakshina patha is covered.
• The garbhagriha is always located directly under
the tallest tower.
• Nagara school is further subdivided into different
schools based on region like Odisha, Khajuraho,
Solanki etc.
Q.99) Ans: b
China has recently completed its BeiDou Navigation
Satellite System constellation.
What is the BeiDou navigation system?
• It is Chinese Satellite Navigation System.

• The system uses a network of satellites and can
provide positional accuracies of under ten metres
(GPS provides positioning accuracies of under 2.2
Q.98) Ans: a metres).
Context: The grand temple at Rama Janmabhoomi in • China initiated BeiDou in 1994 with aims to
Ayodhya will follow the Nagara style of temple integrate its application in different sectors,
architecture. including fishery, agriculture, special care, mass-
market applications, forestry, and public security.
• The Nagara style of temple architecture is found in • BeiDou offers services including accurate
northern India. positioning, navigation and timing as well as short
• In the Nagara style, the temple is generally message communication.
constructed on an upraised platform called jagati. • It consists of 27 satellites in medium Earth orbit,
Mandapasare present in front of the Garbhagriha. five in geostationary orbit and three more in inclined
These are adorned with the Shikhara, the tallest one geosynchronous orbits.
being above the Garbhagriha.
• Nagara style doesn’t usually have elaborate
boundary walls or gateways.
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Q.100) Ans: b
• Liquidity Adjustment Facility is the mechanism by
the RBI for managing the liquidity needs of the
commercial banking system. The LAF is an important
instrument of monetary policy. Liquidity Adjustment
Facility (LAF) operated by way of repo and reverse
repo providing a reasonable corridor to market
players.
• Under Repo, the banks borrow money from RBI to
meet short term needs by putting government
securities (G-secs) as collateral.
• Under Reverse Repo, RBI borrows money from
banks by lending securities. While repo injects
liquidity into the system, the Reverse repo absorbs the
liquidity from the system.
• RBI conducts the Repo auctions and Reverse Repo
auctions on daily basis from Monday to Friday except
holidays. The tenure of the Repo is seven working
days.
• All the Scheduled Commercial Banks are eligible to
participate in auctions except the Regional Rural
Banks. Further, the Primary Dealers (PDs) having
Current Account and SGL Account (Subsidiary
General Ledger Account ) with Reserve Bank,
Mumbai are also eligible to participate in the Repo
and Reverse Repo auctions.
• Marginal standing facility (MSF) is a window for

banks to borrow from the Reserve Bank of India in an
emergency situation when inter-bank liquidity dries
up completely. The Marginal standing facility is a
scheme launched by RBI while reforming the
monetary policy in 2011-12. Under MSF, Scheduled
Commercial Banks can borrow money from RBI at
rate higher than the ongoing Repo rate under
liquidity adjustment facility (LAF.)
43 | P a g e

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DEDICATED PRELIM PROGRAM(DPP)

DPP6 GENERAL STUDIES

Time Allowed: Two Hours Maximum Marks : 200

DO NOT OPEN THIS TEST BOOKLET UNTIL YOU ARE ASKED TO DO SO

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Q.1) Consider the following statements in context of b) Acarangasutra

Q.6) Consider the following statements in context of Folk

Q.7) Consider the following statements in context of

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1) Shallow earthquakes are usually more destructive 2) Staff security deposits

Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct? a) 1, 2 and 5 only

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c) 2 only Q.25) Khazan farming sometimes seen in news is related

Which of the above given pair/s is/are correctly matched?

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

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2) Caldera is a bowl like structure at the top of a volcano c) 2 and 3 only

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Q.35) Kongonaphon Kelly sometimes seen in news is a c) Both 1 and 2

Which of the above given statement/s is/are correct?

a) 1 only 1) Water solubility

Q.38) Consider the following statements: a) 1, 3 and 4 only

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Which of the above is/are the positive effect/s of the a) 1 and 2

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b) 2 only Q.52) Consider the following statements:

a) 1-B, 2-A, 3-C

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c) 1, 2 and 3 1. Thermal decomposition in pyrolysis occurs in

Q.72) Which among the following is/are the way/s of

1) Traction a) 1 and 2 only

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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Q.82) He is credited to establish the first Non-Kshatriya

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b) Niti Aayog Q.87) Consider the following statements in context of

1) Metallurgy only began in India by end of later Vedic

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a) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3

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Q.98) Consider the following statements in context of

Q.99) BeiDou sometime seen in news is related to:

Q.100) Consider the following tools used by RBI:

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Q.1) Ans: c active volcano. Mt Kilimanjaro is another popular

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Why RLLR replaced MCLR?

• Crustaceans form a large, diverse arthropod taxon

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Bhikku Sangha: Sangha of monks Q.23) Ans: b