2. Correct Answer Is : (A) 1 Only IST Is Ahead of GMT by 5 Hours and 30 Minutes

Detailed Solution Test 2 General Studies Paper I

1. Correct Answer is : (b) Only 2 is correct

The Bengal Sati Regulation, or Regulation XVII, A. D. 1829 of the Bengal Code was a legal act promulgated in British India under East India Company rule, by the then Governor-General Lord William Bentinck, which made the practice of sati or suttee—or the immolation of a Hindu widow on the funeral pyre of her deceased husband—illegal in all jurisdictions of British India and subject to prosecution.

2. Correct Answer is : (a) 1 only IST is ahead of GMT by 5 hours and 30 minutes. Add 1 hour for every 15 degrees of Longitude to the east of Greenwich, London and reduce 1 hour for every 15 degrees to the west of that line. IST is for Kolkata and is valid through out India.

3. Correct Answer is : (c) Both 1 and 2

A mass of ice that moves under the influence of gravity along a confirmed course away from its source area. Glaciers eroded bottom as well as its lateral region of the valley. So, V-shaped valley is formed. Sometimes glaciers erode below the sea level.

4. Correct Answer is : (a) 1 only During an emergency, the term of the Lok Sabha can be successively extended by intervals of up to one year, but not beyond six months after the state of emergency has been revoked.

5. Correct Answer is : (c) 1, 3 and 4

Kharif: Kharif crops are grown with the onset of monsoon in different parts of the country and these are harvested in September-October. Important crops grown during this season are paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur (arhar), moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut and soyabean. Some of the most important rice-growing regions are Assam, West Bengal, coastal regions of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra, particularly the (Konkan coast) along with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Recently, paddy has also become an important crop of Punjab and Haryana. In states like Assam, West Bengal and Orissa, three crops of paddy are grown in a year. These are Aus, Aman and Boro.

6. Correct Answer is : (c) Supreme Court

7. Correct Answer is : (a) 1 only

Lakshadweep has 36 islands in total and only 10 islands are inhabited Lakshadweep, formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km off the coast of the South West Indian state of Kerala. They were also known as Laccadive Islands, although geographically this is only the name of the central subgroup of the group.

The islands form the smallest Union Territory of India. The total land area is 11 sq mi or 32 km². Ten of the islands are inhabited. Lakshadweep is the northern part of the erstwhile Lakshadweepa. The islands are the northernmost among the Lakshadweep- Maldives-Chagos group of islands, which are actually the tops of a vast undersea mountain range, in the Indian Ocean, the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge. The land area is 32 square kilometers.

8. Correct Answer is : (c) 1, 3 and 4

The President may be removed before the expiry of the term through impeachment. A President can be removed for violation of theConstitution of India. The process may start in either of the two houses of the Parliament. The house initiates the process by levelling the charges against the President. The charges are contained in a notice that has to be signed by at least one quarter of the total members of that house. The notice is sent up to the President and 14 days later, it is taken up for consideration. A resolution to impeach the President has to be passed by a special majority (two-third majority of the total number of members of the originating house). It is then sent to the other house. The other house investigates the charges that have been made. During this process, the President has the right to defend oneself through an authorised counsel. If the second house also approves the charges made by special majority again, the President stands impeached and is deemed to have vacated his/her office from the date when such a resolution stands passed. Other than impeachment, no other penalty can be given to the President for the violation of the Constitution. No president has faced impeachment proceedings so the above provisions have never been used

9. Correct Answer is : (a) Only 1 is correct

The Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction is one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious literary prizes, awarded annually for the best original full-length novel by a female author of any nationality, written in English and published in the UK in the preceding year. The winner of the prize receives £30,000, along with a bronze sculpture called the “Bessie” created by artist Grizel Niven, the sister of actor/writer David Niven. The Pulitzer Prize is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in print journalism, literary achievements and musical composition. It is administered by Columbia University in New York City. Ironically, Pulitzer, along with William Hearst, was one of the originators of yellow journalism.

10. Correct Answer is : (c) A-2, b-4, C-1, D-3 A. Death valley is located in California in USA B. Edwards's plateau is located in Texas C. Donaran desert is located in Arizona D. The Everglades is located in Florida

11. Correct Answer is : (d) Rig-Veda

Rigveda manuscripts declared “Memory of the World” The Rig Veda manuscripts from Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, have been nominated for inscription in UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” Register 2007. The programme for the Memory of the World was started in UNESCO fifteen years back to honour significant landmarks in the documentary heritage and record them in its “Memory of the World Register” as world’s inheritance. The Memory of the World programme seeks to guard against collective amnesia, calling upon the preservation of the valuable archival holdings and library collections all over the world, ensuring their wide dissemination. UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme preserves and raises awareness of documentary heritage, the memory of the world, which reflects the diversity of languages, peoples and cultures. The Memory of the World Register was created in 1997 and includes 120 properties. This year 38 new items were added to the list including the thirty manuscripts of the Rig Veda dating from 1800 to 1500 BC.

12. Correct Answer is : (a) 1 and 2 Edinburg is located in North Sea Liverpool is located in Irish Sea Plymouth is located in English Channel Cardiff is located in Sea of Herbicides

13. Correct Answer is : (b) 1 and 2

The Indian Emergency of 26 June 1975 – 21 March 1977 was a 19-month period, when PresidentFakhruddin Ali Ahmed, upon request by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, declared a state of emergencyunder Article 352 of the Constitution of India, effectively bestowing on her the power to rule by decree, suspending elections and civil liberties. It is one of the most controversial times in the history of independent India.

14. Correct Answer is : (d) G proteins

G proteins, also known as guanine nucleotide-binding proteins, are a family of proteins involved in transmitting chemical signals originating from outside a cell into the inside of the cell. G proteins function as molecular switches. Their activity is regulated by factors that control their ability to bind to and hydrolyze guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to guanosine diphosphate (GDP). When they bind GTP, they are 'on', and, when they bind GDP, they are 'off'. G proteins belong to the larger group of enzymes called GTPases.

There are two classes of G proteins. The first function as monomeric small GTPases while the second form and function as heterotrimeric G protein complexes. The latter class of complexes are made up of alpha (_), beta (_) and gamma (_) subunits. In addition, the beta and gamma subunits can form a stable dimeric complex referred to as the beta-gamma complex.

15. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2 and 3

For India, biomass has always been an important energy source. Although the energy scenario in India today indicates a growing dependence on the conventional forms of energy, about 32% of the total primary energy use in the country is still derived from biomass and more than 70% of the country?s population depends upon it for its energy needs.

India produces a huge quantity of biomass material in its agricultural, agro-industrial and forestry operations. According to some estimates, over 500 million tonnes of agricultural and agro-industrial residue alone is generated every year. This quantity, in terms of heat content, is equivalent to about 175 million tonnes of oil. A portion of these materials is used for fodder and fuel in the rural economy. However, studies have indicated that at least 150-200 million tonnes of this biomass material does not find much productive use, and can be made available for alternative uses at an economical cost. These materials include a variety of husks and straws. This quantity of biomass is sufficient to generate 15 000-25 000 MW of electrical power at typically prevalent plant.

16. Correct Answer is : (d) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct

The power of judicial review has in itself the concept of separation of powers an essential component of the rule of law, which is a basic feature of the Indian Constitution. Every State action has to be tested on the anvil of rule of law and that exercise is performed, when occasion arises by the reason of a doubt raised in that behalf, by the courts. The power of Judicial Review is incorporated in Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution in sofar as the High Courts are concerned. In regard to the Supreme Court Articles 32 and 136 of the Constitution, the judiciary in India has come to control by judicial review every aspect of governmental and public functions.

17. Correct Answer is : (c) 2 and 3 The process of anaerobic digestion and landfill results in biogas production from organic waste. Biogas is a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide. Methane discovered in 1776 by Alessandro Volta, an Italian physicist is highly inflammable. The calorific value of methane is 13157.89 KCal/kg. This process of methane generation, ie, biomethanation, is an effective tool to dig out the wealth from waste with high moisture content. But for dry waste, the best technique is the production of refuse derived fuel pellets through pelletization that can be burned directly for thermal application or power generation.

18. Correct Answer is : (a) 1 and 2

Wind resource in India The wind resource assessment in India estimates the total wind potential to be around 45 000 MW (mega watt). This potential is distributed mainly in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. The technical potential that is based on the availability of infrastructure, for example the availability of grid, is estimated to be around 13 000 MW. In India, the wind resources fall in the low wind regime, the wind power density being in the range of 250 -450 W/m2. It may be noted that this potential estimation is based on certain assumptions. With ongoing resource assessment efforts, extension of grid, improvement in the wind turbine technology, and sophisticated techniques for the wind farm designing, the gross as well as the technical potential would increase in the future.

19. Correct Answer is : (b) 2 only Jammu hills and Zaskar range lies in range of rainfall below 100 cm and Mikir hills also known as Karbi Angalong is the part of Purvachal ranges, lies in range of above 100 cm rainfall.

20. Correct Answer is : (b) 2 only

Bajra is short season Kharif crop. It is sown in June-July and harvested in September- October. Though it is also cultivated as a Rabi crop in some areas, maize is grown mostly as a rain-fed Kharif crop.

21. Correct Answer is : (d) Sutlej valley

The formation of Zojila gap by Indus river, Shipki la by Sutlej river and Jolep La gap by Tista river. Shipki La gap is lcoated in Himachal Pradesh in Zaskar range.

22. Correct Answer is : (c) It is the middle of a shadow during solar eclipse

The umbra, penumbra and antumbra are the names given to three distinct parts of a shadow, created by any light source. For a point source only the umbra is cast. These names are most often used to refer to the shadows cast by celestial bodies. The umbra (Latin for "shadow") is the darkest part of the shadow, where the light source is completely blocked by the occluding body. An observer in the umbra experiences a total eclipse.

Penumbra The penumbra (from the Latin paene "almost, nearly" and umbra "shadow") is the region in which only a portion of the light source is obscured by the occluding body. An observer in the penumbra experiences a partial eclipse.

Antumbra The antumbra is the region from which the occluding body appears entirely contained within the disc of the light source. If an observer in the antumbra moves closer to the light source, the apparent size of the occluding body increases until it causes a full umbra. An observer in this region experiences an annular eclipse, in which a bright ring is visible around the eclipsing body.

23. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Apart from gas fields an alternative method of obtaining methane is via biogas generated by the fermentation of organic matter including manure, wastewater sludge, municipal solid waste (including landfills), or any other biodegradable feedstock, under anaerobic conditions. Methane hydrates/clathrates (icelike combinations of methane and water on the sea floor, found in vast quantities) are a potential future source of methane. Cattle belch methane accounts for 16% of the world’s annual methane emissions to the atmosphere. The livestock sector in general (primarily cattle, chickens, and pigs) produces 37% of all human-induced methane”. However animals “that put their energies into making gas are less efficient at producing milk and meat”. Early research has found a number of medical treatments and dietary adjustments that help limit the production of methane in ruminants. Industrially, methane can be created from common atmospheric gases and hydrogen (produced, for example, by electrolysis) through chemical reactions such as the Sabatier process, Fischer-Tropsch process. Coal bed methane extraction is a method for extracting methane from a coal deposit, while enhanced coal bed methane recovery is a method of recovering methane from an unminable coal seam. A recent scientific experiment has also yielded results pointing to one species of plant producing trace methane. Until now, it has been assumed that biogenic methane is formed anaerobically, that is, via micro-organisms and in the absence of oxygen. In this way, acetate or hydrogen and carbon dioxide are transformed into methane; they themselves are created in the anaerobic decomposition of organic materials. The largest anoxic sources of methane are wetlands and rice fields, as well as the digestion of ruminants and termites, waste disposal sites, and the gas produced by sewage treatment plants. According to previous estimates, these sources make up two-thirds of the 600 million tonnes worldwide annual methane production.

24. Correct Answer is : (b) 1 and 2

Kottayam, Kollam and Kojhikode are main centres in Kerala for rubber production. Kodagu, Chikmangalur and hassan are the main centres in Karnataka for coffee production. These centres produce about 80% coffee. Guntur and Kuddappah district are main producer of Turmeric in Andhra Pradesh.

25. Correct Answer is : (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Eligibility

Qualifications

Article 84 of the Constitution lays down the qualifications for membership of Parliament. A person to be qualified for the membership of the Rajya Sabha should posses the following qualifications:

1. he must be a citizen of India and make and subscribe before some person authorized in that behalf by the Election Commission an oath or affirmation according to the form set out for the purpose in the Third Schedule to the Constitution; 2. he must be not less than 30 years of age; 3. he must possess such other qualifications as may be prescribed in that behalf by or under any law made by Parliament.

Disqualifications

Article 102 of the Constitution lays down that a person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being, a member of either House of Parliament –

1. if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State, other than an office declared by Parliament by law not to disqualify its holder; 2. if he is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court; 3. if he is an undischarged insolvent; 4. if he is not a citizen of India, or has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign State, or is under any acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence to a foreign State; 5. if he is so disqualified by or under any law made by Parliament.

Explanation- For the purpose of this clause a person shall not be deemed to hold an office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State by reason only that he is a Minister either for the Union or for such State.

Besides, the Tenth Schedule to Constitution provides for disqualification of the members on ground of defection. As per the provisions of the Tenth Schedule, a member may be disqualified as a member, if he voluntarily gives up the membership of his political party; or if he votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction issued by the political party to which he belongs, unless such voting or abstention has been condoned by the political party within fifteen days. A member elected as an independent candidate shall be disqualified if he joins any political party after his election.

A member nominated to the House by the President, however, is allowed to join a political party if he/she does so within the first six months of taking seat in the House. A member shall not be disqualified on this account, if he voluntarily leaves the membership of his political party after he is elected Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha.

26. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2 and 3 Article 58 of the Constitution sets the principle qualifications one must meet to be eligible to the office of the President. A President must be:

• A citizen of India • Of 35 years of age or above • Qualified to become a member of the Lok Sabha A person shall not be eligible for election as President if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State or under any local or other authority subject to the control of any of the said Governments. Certain office-holders, however, are permitted to stand as Presidential candidates. These are:

• The current Vice President. • The Governor of any State. • A Minister of the Union or of any State (Including Prime Minister and Chief Ministers). In the event that the Vice President, a State Governor or a Minister is elected President, they are considered to have vacated their previous office on the date they begin serving as President.

27. Correct Answer is : (c) 2 and 3

Hematite are chiefly found in India. The hematite ores posses up to 68% iron content. They occur in the Dharwad and Cuddapah system of the penisnsula. Magnetite ores occur in the Dharwad and Cuddapah system of the peninsula. Their iron content is above 60%. They are dark brown to blackish in colour and are often called black ores. Sphalerite and Galena occur in the crystalline schists or as vines and pockets in the pre cambrian rocks.

28. Correct Answer is : (b) 1, 2 and 3

On 8 August 1940, early in the Battle of Britain, the Viceroy of India, Lord Linlithgow, made the so-called 'August Offer, a fresh proposal promising the expansion of the Executive Council to include more Indians, the establishment of an advisory war council, giving full weight to minority opinion, and the recognition of Indians' right to frame their own constitution (after the end of the war). In return, it was hoped that all parties and communities in India would cooperate in Britain's war effort. The declaration marked an important advance over the existing state of things, as it recognised at least the natural and inherent right of the people of the country to determine the form of their future constitution, and explicitly promised dominion status. However, The Congress Working Committee meeting at Wardha on August 21 1940 rejected this offer, and asserted its demand for complete freedom from the imperial power. Gandhi viewed it as having widened the gulf between Nationalist India and the British ruler. It was also rejected by Muslim League . The Muslim League asserted that it would not be satisfied by anything short of partition of India.

29. Correct Answer is : (b) Tropical monsoon type

The climate of India may be broadly described as tropical monsoon type. There are four seasons: (i) winter (January-February), (ii) hot weather summer (March-May); (iii) rainy south-western monsoon (June-September) and (iv) post-monsoon, also known as north-east monsoon in the southern Peninsula (October-December). India’s climate is affected by two seasonal winds - the north-east monsoon and the south-west monsoon. The north-east monsoon commonly known as winter monsoon blows from land to sea whereas south-west monsoon known as summer monsoon blows from sea to land after crossing the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. The south-west monsoon brings most of the rainfall during the year in the country.

30. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2 and 3

India is rich in flora. Available data place India in the tenth position in the world and fourth in Asia in plant diversity. From about 70 per cent geographical area surveyed so far, over 46,000 species of plants have been described by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata. The vascular flora, which forms the conspicuous vegetation cover, comprises 15,000 species.

31. Correct Answer is : (d) It shall make recommendation on the measures to augment the Consolidated Fund of the State to supplement the resources of the municipalities

Article 243 I of the Indian Constitution prescribes that the Governor of a State shall, as soon as may be within one year from the commencement of the Constitution (Seventy third Amendment) Act, 1992, and thereafter at the expiration of every fifth year, constitute a Finance Commission to review the financial position of the Panchayats and to make recommendations to the Governor as to the principles which should govern the distribution between the State and the Panchayats of the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees leviable by the State, which may be divided between them under this Part and the allocation between the Panchayats at all levels of their respective shares of such proceeds; The determination of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees which may be assigned as, or appropriated by, the Panchayats; The grants-in- aid to the Panchayats from the Consolidated Fund of the State; The measures needed to improve the financial position of the Panchayats; Any other matter referred to the Finance Commission by the Governor in the interests of sound finance of the Panchayats.

Article 243Y of the Constitution further provides that the Finance Commission constituted under Article 243 I shall make similar recommendation vis-a-vis municipalities. The Governor is required to cause every recommendation made by the State Finance Commission together with an explanatory memorandum as to the action taken thereon to be laid before the Legislature of the State.

32. Correct Answer is : (a) The Emergency provision

SOURCES OF INDIAN CONSTITUTION The Indian Constitution has borrowed heavily from other constitutions of the world and can be called a "beautiful patchwork". India could not have afforded to experiment with something entirely new at a crucial juncture in its history. So the founding fathers of the Indian Constitution preferred to rely on the time-tested value of experience elsewhere and adopted those provisions which had proved to be successful and workable in other countries. Some of the prominent features which have been borrowed are as under. Feature Source / Inspiration 1. Fundamental Rights USA 2. The Parliamentary System of Government UK 3. Directive Principles of State Policy Ireland (Eire) 4. Emergency Provisions Germany (Third Reich) 5. Amendment Procedure South Africa 6. Permeable To The Constitution of India France 7. Federal Model of Governance Canada The Preamble is a part of the Constitution (and this has been confirmed by the SC also), it contains the basic philosophy of the whole Constitution. It can be used by the Courts to help them in interpretation of the Constitution in certain matters where the Constitution itself is silent.

33. Correct Answer is : (d) The Courts

The constitutionality of Section 144 Cr. P. C. has been challenged on behalf of the petitioners on two grounds: firstly, that the section authorises the imposition of restrictions on the right to freedom of speech and expression. In the interests of things which are not covered by Article 19(2) of the Constitution, and restrictions on the right to assemble peaceably and without arms in the interests of things which are not covered by Article 19(3) of the Constitution; and secondly, that the powers which are exercisable under the section are so wide that the restrictions which it has the effect of imposing upon the fundamental rights are unreasonable. In view, however, of the pronouncement of the Supreme Court in the case of AIR 1961 SC 884 it is on the first ground that emphasis has really been laid. It is indisputable that the second ground of challenge is clearly ruled out by the decision of the Supreme Court in the above mentioned case. The question of the vires of Section 144 Cr. P. C. was raised in the case on a petition under Article 32 of the Constitution and the main contention on behalf of the petitioners was that the section places unreasonable restrictions on the rights guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) and (b) of the Constitution. After an exhaustive consideration of the provisions of Section 144 Cr. P. C., the Supreme Court repelled the contention and held that 'it cannot be said that byreason of the wide amplitude of the power which Section 144 confers on certain Magistrates it places unreasonable restrictions on certain fundamental rights.' The second ground taken on behalf of the petitioners must, therefore, be rejected at once and it does not call for any further comment.

34. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2 and 3

The freedom of speech and of the press does not confer an absolute right to express without any responsibility. Lord Denning, in his famous book Road to Justice, observed that press is the watchdog to see that every trial is conducted fairly, openly and above board, but the watchdog may sometimes break loose and has to be punished for misbehavior. With the same token Clause (2) of Article 19 of the Indian constitution enables the legislature to impose reasonable restrictions on free speech under following heads: I. security of the State, II. friendly relations with foreign States, III. public order, IV. decency and morality, V. contempt of court, VI. defamation, VII. incitement to an offence, and VIII. sovereignty and integrity of India. Reasonable restrictions on these grounds can be imposed only by a duly enacted law and not by executive action.

35. Correct Answer is : (d) All of the above

Article 368 of the Constitution of India provides for three procedures of amendments. 1. First Procedure: Some provisions of the constitution can be amended by simple majority in both Houses of the Parliament. The matters covered by such amendments are the followings: (a) Articles 2, 3 and 4 providing for admission or establishment of new states! Alteration of areas, names and boundaries of existing states; (b) Articles 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and II dealing with citizenship; (c) Article 81 dealing with delimitation of constituencies; (d) Article 100 dealing with quorum of Parliament; (e) Article 106 relating to the privileges of MPs; (f) Article 124 (1) relating to the appointment of the Judges of the Supreme Court; (g) Art. 164 dealing with the abolition and creation of Legislative Council of a state; (h) Art. 240 concerning the legislatures of union territories; (i) Art. 312 relating to the creation of All India Services; (j) Art. 327 dealing with the election system of the country; (k) II, V and VI schedules of the constitution.

2. Second Procedure : The second category consists of constitutional amendments. The constitutional amendments require a special procedure and a special majority in each House of the Parliament. A bill for constitutional amendment can be introduced in either House of the Parliament. It has to be passed by a majority of the total membership of the House in which it is introduced. Further, it has to be passed by not less than the two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. After it is passed in the House in which it was introduced, it has to be passed in the similar manner in the other House. After the bill is passed in both Houses in the special procedure and with special majority, it is sent to the President for his assent and according to the 24th Amendment, the President is bound to give his assent to all such bills. With the assent of the President accorded, the bill becomes a part of the constitution and the constitution thus gets amended. M of the provisions of the constitution can be amended in this way. This amending procedure achieves a balance between flexibility and rigidity.

3. Third Procedure: The third category of amendment involves a rigid procedure. It has two stages. Firstly, the bill for amendment is to be passed in each House of Parliament in the special manner and with a special majority. It has to be passed B majority of the total membership of each House of the Parliament. Further, it has to passed by a majority not less than two-thirds of all the members present and voting each House of the Parliament. Secondly, after the bill is passed by each House of the Parliament, it is to be ratified by the legislatures of at least one-half of the states. Thereafter it is sent to the President for his approval. The matters which require this rigid procedure of amendment are election of President (Article 54 and Article 55), the extent of the executive power of the Union (Article 37), extent of executive power of the state (Article 162), High Courts for Union Territories (Ail 241), Union Judiciary (Chapter IV of Part V), High Courts in states (Chapter V of Part VI), Legislative Relations between state and centre (Chapter I of Part XI), three lists of subjects in VII Schedule, representation of states in the Parliament, and procedure of Constitutional Amendments (Article 368).

Disagreement between the Two Houses: For amending most of the provisions of the constitution, both the Houses of the Parliament have to agree. The constitution does not provide for any machinery for resolving disagreements between the two Houses in regard to amending the constitution. However, the practice adopted so far shows that the provision;' about which there is no agreement between the two Houses are either dropped or allowed to lapse.

'Basic Structure' of Constitution, Not Amendable: In the Golaknath Case of 1967, the Supreme Court observed that the parliament had no right to amend any of the provisions or parts of the constitution relating to the fundamental rights. However, in the Kesavananda Bharati Case of 1972, the Supreme Court took a different view. The Court said that the parliament had power to amend any provision of the constitution except the 'basic features' of the constitution.

The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 said that the parliament had power to amend any provision of the constitution and that such amendments could not be questioned in any Court of Law. But in the Minerva Mill Case of 1980 the Supreme Court again asserted that the parliament could not amend the 'basic structure' of the constitution. The Supreme Court has not so far defined the 'basic structure' of the constitution. But it seems that the basic structure of the constitution would include the sovereignty of people, supremacy of the constitution, democratic form of government, federalism, republicanism, judicial review etc.

36. Correct Answer is : (b) A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4

Power project: State Dehar (hydro): Himachal Pradesh Gandhar (thermal): Gujarat Kalinadi (hydro): Karnataka Uran (thermal): Maharashtra

37. Correct Answer is : (a) 1 only

Alluvial in the north-eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh developed on calcareous parent material. The soil contains various amount of calcium carbonates and soluble salts and have a neutral to alkali reaction. These soils are quite fertile and sugarcane is the most important crop of the region. On the east coast of Orissa and north Andhra Pradesh, there are sandy alluvial soils, which is rich in potash.

38. Correct Answer is : (b) Vishakapatnam

The highest point (1680 m) is in the Vishakapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Mahendragiri (1501 m), the second highest, is in Ganjam district of Orissa.

39. Correct Answer is : (a) The Karanphuli river originates in Meghalaya and flows into Bangladesh

The Karanphuli river originates in Mizoram and flows into Bangladesh.

40. Correct Answer is : (b) A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1

Hmar is the name of one of the numerous Mizo/Kuki/Chin tribes of India, spread over a large area in the northeast. The Hmars belong to the Chin-Kuki-Mizo group of tribes, and are recognised as Scheduled Tribe under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution of India. They are a small community of less than 100,000 in Assam, although there are more in Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura .

Literally, Hmar means North or Northern people, as they are living north to the Lusei people. But this is hotly debated among the community itself. Some scholars are of the opinion that the word originated from the style of tying the hair knot on the head.

The Dimasa people (or Dima-basa, and also called Dimasa-Kachari ) are a group of people in Assam, in Northeastern India. Dimasa mythology says that they are the children of Bangla Raja (Earthquake God) and the great divine bird Arikhidima. Bangla Raja's six sons— Sibrai, Doo Raja, Naikhu Raja, Waa Raja, Guyung Brai Yung, and Hamyadao and Arikhidima are their ancestors, and in Dimasa belief, are ancestral Gods. They are called Madai in Dimasa. Evil spirits born of the seventh egg of Arikhidima are responsible for disease, suffering and natural calamities. The Konyak are a Naga people, and are recognised among other Naga by their tattoos, which they have all over their face and hands. They are called the land of Angh's. They have the largest population among the Nagas.

The Konyaks can be found in Myanmar, in the Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal, and in the Mon district of Nagaland, India. They are known in Arunachal as Wancho Konyak.

The Konyak language belongs to the Northern Naga subbranch of the Sal subfamily of Sino-Tibetan. Known as head hunters of North East India. In recent past they were known as war loving and often attack nearby villages of other tribes and with their skill they used to cut head of the opponent warriors and hang them in the Morong (A public House). The number of head indicates the power of concerned person and later becomes the village head. Though except these cruel behaviors, among them they show very disciplined public life where duty of every individuals is very strict.

The Nyishi or Nishi people, principaly found in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. They are also called "Nyashang", meaning 'people of the land or the human being', by people belonging to Kurung Kurung district. They inhabit the Papum Pare, East KamengLower Subansiri, Kurung Kumey, parts of Upper Subansiri districts of Arunachal Pradesh, as well as the Sonitpur District and North Lakhimpur district of Assam.

Their population of around 300,000 makes them the most populous tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, closely followed by the combined tribes of the Adis and the Galos (Abors) who were the most populous in the 2001 census. The Nyishi language belongs to the Sino- Tibetan family, however, the origin is disputed.

41. Correct Answer is : (b) 1, 2 and 3

NATIONAL FLAG THE National flag is a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy-blue wheel which represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes. The design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 22 July 1947.

Apart from non-statutory instructions issued by the Government from time to time, display of the National Flag is governed by the provisions of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 (No. 12 of 1950) and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 (No. 69 of 1971). The Flag Code of India, 2002 is an attempt to bring together all such laws, conventions, practices and instructions for the guidance and benefit of all concerned.

The Flag Code of India, 2002, has taken effect from 26 January 2002 and supercedes the ‘Flag Code—as it existed. As per the provisions of the Flag Code of India, 2002, there shall be no restriction on the display of the National Flag by members of general public, private organisations, educational institutions, etc., except to the extent provided in the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and any other law enacted on the subject.

42. Correct Answer is : (c) Rajasuya

Rajasuya was a sacrifice, described in detail in theMahabharata, performed by the ancient kings of India who considered themselves powerful enough to be an emperor. Rajasuya, like the ashwamedha, would occur after the return of generals of the king (in most cases his own kinsmen, like his brother or son) from a successful military campaign. After conquering the kings of other kingdoms and collecting tribute from them, the general would invite the vanquished kings to attend the sacrifice ceremony. All the vanquished kings would in effect consider the performer of these sacrifices as an emperor. In the case of ashwamedha, the army of the military campaign is led by a wandering horse, let loose from the capital of the king who performs this sacrifice. In case of rajasuya there is no horse involved. The generals plan their route themselves. Rajasuya sacrifices were rarer than ashwamedha sacrifices, since they were riskier and costlier. Pandava king Yudhisthira's rajasuya is the most well knownrajasuya sacrifice, described in detail in the epic Mahabharata. Many Chola kings are supposed to have performed this sacrifice. One of thesangam Cholas is called Rajasuyam vetta perunarkilli (i.e. perunarkilli who performed Rajasuya), for having successfully performed this sacrifice.

43. Correct Answer is : (b) 1 and 2 The Indica of Megasthenes, on the other hand, gives a vivid description of the Mauryan society under the rule of Chandragupta. Megasthenes showed the glory of the Mauryan capital of Pataliputra. Megasthenes also talked of the lifestyle in the cities and villages and the prosperity of the Mauryan cities. A Greek visitor, Megasthenes, gave a very strange description of the caste system (accepting seven instead of the usual four classes of people), and he describes an attempted reform.

44. Correct Answer is : (b) 1 and 2

“Letters from a Father to his Daughter”, the book written by Jawaharlal Nehru, which is a collection of a series of 30 letters written in 1928, when Nehru was in prison has been released in Braille edition for the visually impaired people. The book was written to introduce his daughter Indira Gandhi to the fascinating study of creation, life and the universe, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata when she was 10 years old.

45. Correct Answer is : (c) 1, 3 and 4

NATIONAL ANTHEM The song Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on 24 January 1950. It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Kolkata Session of the Indian National Congress. The complete song consists of five stanzas. The first stanza contains the full version of the National Anthem : Playing time of the full version of the national anthem is approximately 52 seconds. A short version consisting of the first and last lines of the stanza (playing time approximately 20 seconds) is also played on certain occasions.

46. Correct Answer is : (d) 2, 3 and 4

The iron pillar is one of the world’s foremost metallurgical curiosities. The pillar, almost seven metres high and weighing more than six tonnes, was erected by Chandragupta II Vikramaditya (375–414 CE), (interpretation based on careful analysis of archer type Gupta gold coins) of the Gupta dynasty that ruled northern India 320–540. The pillar, with an idol of Garuda at the top, was originally located at a place called Vishnupadagiri (meaning “Vishnu-footprint-hill”), identified as modern Udayagiri, situated in the close vicinity of Besnagar, Vidisha and Sanchi, towns located about 50 kilometres east of Bhopal, in central India. Vishnupadagiri is located on the Tropic of Cancer and, therefore, was a centre of astronomical studies during the Gupta period. The Iron Pillar served an important astronomical function, in its original site; its early morning shadow fell in the direction of the foot of Anantasayain Vishnu (in one of the panels at Udayagiri) only in the time around summer solstice (June 21). The creation and development of the Udayagiri site appears to have been clearly guided by a highly developed astronomical knowledge. Therefore, the Udayagiri site, in general, and the Iron Pillar location in particular, provide firm evidence for the astronomical knowledge in India around 400 CE.

It is the only piece of the Jain temple remaining, which stood there before being destroyed by Qutb-ud-din Aybak to build the Qutub Minar and Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque. Qutub built around it when he constructed the mosque.

The pillar bears an inscription which states that it was erected as a flagstaff in honour of the Hindu god, Vishnu, and in the memory of the Gupta King Chandragupta II (375– 413). Made up of 98% wrought iron of pure quality, it is 23 feet 8 inches (7.21 m) high and has a diameter of 16 inches (0.41 m). Also, it was confirmed that the temperatures required to form such kind of pillars cannot be achieved by combustion of coal. The pillar is a testament to the high level of skill achieved by ancient Indian iron smiths in the extraction and processing of iron.

It has attracted the attention of archaeologists and metallurgists as it has withstood corrosion for the last 1600 years, despite harsh weather. Its unusually good corrosion resistance appears to be due to a high phosphorus content, which together with favorable local weather conditions promotes the formation of a solid protectivepassivation layer of iron oxides and phosphates, rather than the non- protective, cracked rust layer that develops on most ironwork.

A fence was erected around the pillar due to the popularity of a tradition that considered it good luck if you could stand with your back to the pillar and make your hands meet behind it.

47. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

EXECUTIVE The Union executive consists of the President, the Vice-President and the Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister as the head to aid and advise the President.

48. Correct Answer is : (c) 2 and 3

The President is elected by members of an electoral college consisting of elected members of both Houses of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies of the states in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote. To secure uniformity among state inter se as well as parity between the states, as a whole, and the Union, suitable weightage is given to each vote. The President must be a citizen of India, not less than 35 years of age and qualified for election as member of the Lok Sabha. His term of office is five years and he is eligible for re-election. His removal from office is to be in accordance with procedure prescribed in Article 61 of the Constitution. He may, by writing under his hand addressed to the Vice-President, resign his office.

49. Correct Answer is : (c) Brundtland Commission

Sustainable development (SD) is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come. The term was used by the Brundtland Commission which coined what has become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development as development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

50. Correct Answer is : (c) 1, 2 and 4

VICE-PRESIDENT The Vice-President is elected by members of an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote. He must be a citizen of India, not less than 35 years of age and eligible for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha. His term of office is five years and he is eligible for re-election. His removal from office is to be in accordance with procedure prescribed in Article 67 b.

The Vice-President is ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and acts as President when the latter is unable to discharge his functions due to absence, illness or any other cause or till the election of a new President (to be held within six months when a vacancy is caused by death, resignation or removal or otherwise of President). While so acting, he ceases to perform the function of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

51. Correct Answer is : (c) Kalibangan

The evidence of fire worship has also been found at some sites such as Kalibangan and Lothal. At Kalibangan, a series of raised brick platforms with pits containing ash and animal bones have been discovered. These are identified by many scholars as fire altars.

52. Correct Answer is : (c) 1, 2 and 4

Rājatarangiṇī (Rājataraṃgiṇī "The River of Kings") is a metrical historical chronicle of north-western Indian subcontinent, particularly the kings of Kashmir, written in Sanskrit by Kashmiri Brahman Kalhaṇa in 12th century CE. The work generally records the heritage of Kashmir, but 120 verses of Rājatarangiṇī describe the misrule prevailing in Kashmir during the reign of King Kalash, son of King Ananta Deva of Kashmir. Kalhana lived in a time of political turmoil in Kashmir, at that time a brilliant center of civilization in a sea of barbarism. Kalhana was an educated and sophisticated Sanskrit scholar, well-connected in the highest political circles. His writing is full of literary devices and allusions, concealed by his unique and elegant style. Kalhana was a poet. The Rajataringini is a Sanskrit account of the various monarchies of Kashmir, prior to the advent of Islam. Like the Shahnameh is to Persia, the Rajataringini is to Kashmir.

53. Correct Answer is : (b) 4 3 2 1

EDICT II

"In all the subjugated (territories) of the king Priyadasi, the beloved of the gods, and also, in the bordering countries, as (Choda), Playa (or Paraya), Satyaputra, Keralaputra, Tambapani (it is proclaimed), and ANTIOCHUS by name the Yona (or Yavana) raja, and those princes, who are nearer to (or allied with) that monarch, universally (are apprised) that (two designs have been cherished by Priyadasi, one design) regarding men, and one relating to animals; and whatever herbs are useful to men or useful to animals wherever there are none, such have been everywhere caused to be conveyed and planted, (and roots and fruits wherever there are none, such have been everywhere conveyed and planted; and on the roads) wells have been caused to be dug, (and trees have been planted) for the respective enjoyment of animals and men."

EDICT V

"The beloved of the gods, king Priyadasi, thus proclaims: 'Whoever perverts good to evil will derive evil from good; therefore much good has been done by me, and my sons and grandsons, and others my posterity (will) conform to it for every age. So they who shall enjoy happiness, and those who cause the path to be abandoned shall suffer misfortune. The chief ministers of morality have for an unprecedentedly long time been tolarant of iniquity; therefore in the tenth year of the inauguration have ministers of morality been made, who are appointed for the purpose of presiding over morals among persons of all the religions for the sake of the augmentation of virtue, and for the happiness of the virtuous among the people of Kamboja, Gandhara, Nari stika, and Petenika. They shall also be spread among the warriors, the Brahmans, the mendicants, the destitute, and others, without any obstruction, for the happiness of the well-disposed, in order to loosen the bonds of those who are bound, and liberate those who are confined, through the means of holy wisdom disseminated by pious teachers; and they will proceed to the outer cities and fastnesses of my brother and sister, and wherever are any other of my kindred; and the ministers of morals, those who are appointed as superintendents of morals, shall wherever the moral law is established, give encouragement to the charitable and those addicted to virtue. With this intent this edict is written, and let my people obey it."

EDICT VIII

"In past times kings were addicted to travelling about, to companions, to going abroad, to hunting and similar amusements, but Piyadasi, the beloved of the gods, having been ten years inaugurated, by him easily awakened, that moral festival is adopted, (which consists) in seeing and bestowing gifts on Brahmans and Sramans ; in seeing and giving gold to elders, and overseeing the country and the people ; the institution of moral laws, and the investigation of morals:- such are the devices for the removal of apprehension, and such are the different pursuits of the favourite of the gods, king Piyadasi.

EDICT IX

"The beloved of the gods, Priyadasi Raja, thus says: "Every man that celebrates various occasions of festivity, as on the removal of incumbrances, on invitations, on marriages, on the birth of a son, or on setting forth on a journey:--on these and other occasions a man makes various rejoicings. The benevolent man also celebrates many and various kinds of pure and disinterested festivities;--and such rejoicing is to be practised. Such festivities are fruitless and vain, but the festivity that bears great fruit is the festival of duty--such as the respect of the servant to his master: reverence for holy teachers is good; tenderness for living creatures is good; liberality to Brahmans and Sramans is good. These, and other such acts, constitute verily the festival of duty; and it is to be cherished as father by son, a dependant by his master. This is good, this is the festival to be observed: for the establishment of this object virtuous donations are made; for there is no such donation or benevolence as the gift of duty, or the benevolence of duty: that (benevolence) is chaff (which is contracted) with a friend, a companion, a kinsman, or an associate, and is to be reprehended. In such and in such manner this is to be done. This is good: with these means let a man seek Swarga. This is to be done: by these means it is to be done, as by them Swarga has been gained'."

54. Correct Answer is : (c) 1, 2 and 4

The term of the Lok Sabha, unless dissolved earlier is five years from the date appointed for its first meeting. However, while a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation, this period may be extended by Parliament by law for a period not exceeding one year at a time and not extending in any case, beyond a period of six months after the Proclamation has ceased to operate. Sixteen Lok Sabhas have been constituted so far.

55. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2 and 3

Selvas: dense equatorial forest, esp in the Amazon basin, characterized by tall broad- leaved evergreen trees, epiphytes, lianas, etc or a tract of such forest.

The Selva Zoque (English: Zoque Forest), which includes the Chimalapas rain forest, is an area of great ecological importance in Mexico. Most of the forest lies in the state of Oaxaca but parts are in Chiapas and Veracruz. It is the largest tract of tropical rainforest in Mexico, and contains the majority of terrestrial biodiversity in the country.

The region has highly diverse plant communities. For example, over 300 orchid species have been identified, 60% of all orchid genera in Mexico. Over 200 canopy tree species have been found in the Uxpanapa lowlands, and the entire region is estimated to have 3,500 vascular plant species. Several genera and one family are only found in this area of Mexico. Valuable plants include the tropical red cedar and bigleaf mahogany. Palmita is an important source of revenue for the local people, with the ornamental leaves harvested carefully to avoid killing the plant.

Why is the upper surface of leaves more shiny than the lower surface?

As it is covered with a waxy cuticle, which reflects excess sunlight and prevents dehydration of the leaves (and plant) Waxy Coating The waxy coating, called the cuticle, on plant leaves and on young plant stems, also gives fruits their sheen, according to the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service. The cuticle is composed of cutin, a wax-like material that is a hydroxy fatty acid and fills in spaces in a plant's epidermis, or outermost layer of cells. The cuticle prevents too much of the water from the plant's interior from escaping, protecting the plant from drying out. The Extension Service says that a plant's cuticle can form flat plates or be a mass of threads. It also notes that the cuticle might be a loose covering, to allow gases and water vapor to pass through the plant easily, or a tight one, slowing gas exchange, according to the plant's needs.Plant growth can be greatly affected by the habitat and climate in which it grows.

56. Correct Answer is : (b) Mahagony

Himalayan vegetation is based on altitude and rainfall and can be classified into four groups: Tropical zone – Up to 1,000 – 1,200 m (3,280 to 3,940 ft) . Tropical ever green forests, Rose, chestnut, bamboo, alder, pine, laurel, and palm etc. Subtropical zone – Up to 2,200 m (7,220 ft). Deciduous forest with sal, oak, and magnolia temperate forests of cedar, birch, hazel, maple, and spruce Alpine zone – 2,200 to 2,700 m ( 7,220 to 8,860 ft ). With juniper, rhododendron, mosses, lichens etc. Several kinds of flowering plants are found from 2,700 to 3,600 m (8,860 – 11,800 ft). Alpine meadows are found up to 5,000 m (16,400 feet). Forests of Central Himalaya I. Dry Matter Dynamics B. S. Adhikari, Y. S. Rawat and S. P. Singh Department of Botany, Kumaun University, Naini Tal-263 002, India. The present study deals with the structure and functioning of three different forest communities, viz., horse chestnut, silver fir and kharsu oak forests, in a high altitude region of Central Himalaya. The tree density and total basal cover of horse chestnut forest was 280 and 76, silver fir forest 355 and 106, and kharsu oak forest 480 trees ha-1 and 73 m2 ha-1, respectively. The Morinda Spruce or West Himalayan Spruce (Picea smithiana) is a spruce native to the western Himalaya and adjacent mountains, from northeast Afghanistan east to central Nepal. It grows at altitudes of 2,400-3,600 m in forests together with Deodar Cedar, Blue Pine and Pindrow Fir. The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored wood, originally the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban Mahogany. It was later used also for the wood of Swietenia macrophylla, which is closely related, and known as Honduras Mahogany.

57. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

The East India Company (EIC), originally chartered as the Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies, and more properly called theHonourable East India Company, was an English and later (from 1707) British joint-stock company formed for pursuing trade with the East Indies but which ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent, North-West Frontier Province and Balochistan. Commonly associated with trade in basic commodities, which included cotton, silk, indigo dye,salt, saltpetre, tea and opium, the Company received a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth in 1600, making it the oldest among several similarly formed European East India Companies. Shares of the company were owned by wealthy merchants and aristocrats. The government owned no shares and had only indirect control. The Company eventually came to rule large areas of India with its own private armies, exercising military power and assuming administrative functions. Company rule in India effectively began in 1757 after the Battle of Plassey and lasted until 1858 when, following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Government of India Act 1858 led to the British Crown assuming direct control of India in the era of the new British Raj.

58. Correct Answer is : (c) Russia

Russian scientists have developed a drug-free method of healing wounds. The nanodressing, VitaVallis, created by researchers in Tomsk, Siberia, helps clean up wounds of all known types of toxic bacteria. It does not get stuck to the wound and heals burns, cuts and any septic and infected wounds two to three times faster than traditional methods do. The dressing stops bleeding, ends inflammation, eliminates swellings and stimulates skin regeneration. It also helps kill pain and remove foul wound odour.

59. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Crops of India India produces different types of crops due to difference in soil and climate. At some places rice is produced more in quantity and at some other places more wheat is produced. In some regions maize, jute and in other regions sugar-cane is produced. The crops of India are divided into mainly two types: (a) Food crops (b) Cash crops. Rice, wheat, maize, millet, barley, mower are the examples of food grains. Jute, cotton, sugarcane, oil seeds and rubber are known as cash crops.

60. Correct Answer is : (c) 1, 3 and 4

Rice: Rice is an important food grain of India. India is next to China in the world in the production of rice. Rice cultivation needs 25° Celsius temperature and an average of 150 centimeters of rain per year. Rice plant needs water from its plantation-stage to harvesting of paddy in its root. Rice cultivation needs fertile soil or loamy soil. River valley and delta areas are suitable for the cultivation of rice. Rice is produced throughout the country but it is found more in Tamilnadu, A.P., Orissa, Bihar, M.P., Assam etc. Rice is produced mainly once in a year as Kharif crop. But it is cultivated thrice in a year if there is irrigation facility.

61. . Correct Answer is : (b) 1 and 2

Sangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years c. 600 BCE to 300 CE. This collection contains 2381 poems composed by 473 poets, some 102 of whom remain anonymous] The period during which these poems were composed is commonly referred to as the Sangam period, referring to the prevalent Sangam legends claiming literary academies lasting thousands of years, giving the name to the corpus of literature. Sangam literature is primarily secular dealing with everyday themes in aTamilakam context. The poems belonging to the Sangam literature were composed by Tamil poets, both men and women, from various professions and classes of society. These poems were later collected into various anthologies, edited, and with colophons added by anthologists and annotators around 1000 AD. Sangam literature fell out of popular memory soon thereafter, until they were rediscovered in the 19th century by scholars such as Arumuga Navalar, C. W. Thamotharampillai and U. V. Swaminatha Iyer.

62. Correct Answer is : (a) an anticyclone

An anticyclone (that is, opposite to a cyclone) is a weather phenomenon defined by the United States' National Weather Service's glossary as "[a] large-scale circulation of winds around a central region of high atmospheric pressure, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere". Effects of surface-based anticyclones include clearing skies as well as cooler, drier air. Fog can also form overnight within a region of higher pressure. Mid-tropospheric systems, such as the subtropical ridge, deflect tropical cyclones around their periphery and cause a temperature inversion inhibiting free convection near their center, building up surfacebased haze under their base. Anticyclones aloft can form within warm core lows, such as tropical cyclones, due to descending cool air from the backside of upper troughs, such as polar highs, or from large scale sinking, such as the subtropical ridge. Anticyclonic flow spirals in a clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and anticlockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Anticyclones were first described by Francis Galton in the 1860s.

63. Correct Answer is : (d) altocumulus

Altocumulus (Alto, "high", cumulus, "heaped") is a cloud belonging to a class characterized by globular masses or rolls in layers or patches, the individual elements being larger and darker than those of cirrocumulus and smaller than those of stratocumulus. Like other cumulus clouds, altocumulus signifies convection. It is usually white or gray, and often occurs in sheets or patches with wavy, rounded masses or rolls. A sheet of partially conjoined altocumulus perlucidus is sometimes found preceding a weakening warm front, where the altostratus is starting to fragment, resulting in patches of altocumulus perlucidus between the areas of altostratus, or more rarely, an entire sky of the perlucidus variety.

64. Correct Answer is : (b) 2 only

The vast loess and till plains are now colonised by grasses and/or forest. They are the home of some of the best soils of the world: the `black earths'. Deep, black Chernozems occupy the central parts of the Eurasian and North American steppe zones. Brown Kastanozems are typical of the drier parts of the steppe zone and border on arid and semi-arid lands. Dusky red Phaeozems occur in slightly more humid areas such as the American prairies and pampas.

Chernozems (CH)

The Reference Soil Group of the Chernozems accommodates soils with a thick black surface layer rich in organic matter. Russian soil scientist Dokuchaev coined the name "Chernozems" in 1883 to denote the typical "zonal" soil of the tall grass steppes in continental Russia. Some international synonyms: `Calcareous Black Soils', `Eluviated Black Soils' (Canada), and (several suborders of) `Mollisols' (USDA Soil Taxonomy).

Definition of Chernozems#

Soils having,a mollic@ horizon with a moist chroma of 2 or less if the texture is finer than sandy loam, or less than 3.5 if the texture is sandy loam or coarser, both to a depth of at least 20 cm, or having these chromas directly below any plough layer; and concentrations of secondary carbonates@ starting within 200 cm from the soil surface; and no petrocalcic@ horizon between 25 and 100 cm from the soil surface; and no secondary gypsum; and no uncoated silt and sand grains on structural ped faces.

Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock. Tropical weathering (laterization) is a prolonged process of chemical weathering which produces a wide variety in the thickness, grade, chemistry and ore mineralogy of the resulting soils. The majority of the land area containing laterites is between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

Laterites are a source of aluminium ore; the ore exists largely in clay minerals and the hydroxides, gibbsite, boehmite, and diaspore, which resembles the composition of bauxite. In Northern Ireland they once provided a major source of iron and aluminium ores. Laterite ores also were the early major source of nickel.

65. Correct Answer is : (c) Both 1 and 2 are correct

Coal Bed Methane: India has the fourth largest proven coal reserves in the world and holds significant prospects for exploration and exploitation of CBM. Under the CBM policy, 33 exploration blocks have been awarded in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Out of the total available coal-bearing area of 26,000 sq. km for CBM exploration in the country, exploration has been initiated in about 17,000 sq. km. The estimated CBM resources in the country are about 92 trillion cubic feet (TCF), out of which only 8.92 TCF has so far been established. Commercial production of CBM in India has now become a reality with current production of about 0.28 MMSCMD.

66. Correct Answer is : (c) 1, 2 and 4

Wheat: Wheat is the second food grain of India. Wheat needs medium rainfall and low cold climate. Wheat cultivation is suitable for the area which has 5 to 10 centimeters of rainfall and 10° to 15° Celsius temperature. Though wheat is produced in different soils but it is more fruitful in fertile sloping and loamy soil. Black soil is also suitable for wheat cultivation. Less rainfall at the graining stage of wheat plant and dry climate during harvesting period raises production. Irrigation facilities help wheat cultivation. Wheat cultivation is generally found in two regions (a) Punjab, Haryana, north-east of U.P. and central U.P. and river valley of Sutlej and Ganga and (b) Maharashtra, M.P. and western A.P. black soil. It is mainly a Rabi crop. Wheat has got an important role in 'Green Revolution'.

67. Correct Answer is : (c) Maize is not cultivated in hilly areas-of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh

Maize: Maize is an important kharif crop of rainy season. Maize is cultivated in different areas and in different climates but it is suitable where temperature is 35° Celsius and rainfall is 75 centimeters. Sloppy fertile soil is suitable for the cultivation of maize. Though rocky soil is unsuitable for maize cultivation, but it is cultivated in hilly areas-of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Maize is cultivated throughout our country but it is cultivated more in Punjab, U.P., Bihar, M.P. and Rajasthan.

68. Correct Answer is : (c) 1 and 2

The public celebration of the Ganapati festival -- Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav -- was started by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893. As the unquestioned leader of the orthodox Hindus, Balwantrao Gangadhar Tilak had, by the last decade of the 19th century, accurately judged the need to give a more forceful interpretation to Indian nationalism. By reviving an old institution like the Ganapati festival and transforming it into a public celebration, Tilak sought to, and succeeded, in challenging the decade plus monopoly of the moderate-liberal leaders who had set the agenda for social and political reforms in the country. He recognised the need to form a national political movement circumventing the artificial barriers created by the moderate-liberal school of political thought.

The Ganapati festival catapulted Tilak to the height of his political career. From being on the defensive vis-ÃƒÂ -vis the moderates during most of the 1880s, Tilak utilised the festival to send a clear message to the colonial rulers as well as his political rivals about his strength and hold over the masses. This was competitive politics of the market place. While he publicly maintained that the festival was meant to achieve unity amongst the Hindus who remained perennially divided on the basis of their castes, and fight for political swaraj, the not-so-hidden intention was to occupy political centerstage.

69. Correct Answer is : (c) Jawaharlal Nehru

Example of Nehru Congress President speech: Presidential Address, Lahore, December 29, 1929 in Zaidi, A.M. (ed.) The Encyclopaedia of Indian National Congress, Volume 11, S. Chand & Co. Ltd., New Delhi, 1980, pp. 601 – 618

•In this programme perhaps the Congress as a whole cannot g o very far today. Bu t it must keep the .ultimate ideal in view and work for it. The question is not one merely pf wages.and charity doled out by an employer OK landlord. -Paternalism in industry pr in the land is but a form o f charity with all. its sting and its utter incapacity to root out the evil. The new theory of trusteeship, which some advocate, is equally barren. Fo r trusteeship means that the power for good or evil remains wit h the self-appointed trustee an d he may exercise it as he will. The sole trusteeship that can be fair is the trusteeship of the nation and not of one individua l or a group. Man y Englishmen - honestly consider themselves the trustees • fo r India, and,yet to what a condition they have reduced our country* , •

70. Correct Answer is : (d) Mahatma Gandhi

71. Correct Answer is : (d) India occupies fifth place in the world of cotton production

Cotton is a fiber-type cash crop. Cloth is produced from the fiber of cotton and oil from cotton seeds. Cultivation of cotton needs 20° to 25° Celsius temperature and 50 to 75 centimeters of rainfall. Cotton cultivation needs sloppy fertile soil or black soil which contains elements of lava. Cotton plant needs wet climate at the time of growing and dry climate at the time of collecting seeds. So it is known as Kharif crop. India occupies fourth place in the world of cotton production. (The U.S.A., The U.S.S.R. and China are first, second and third respectively). Cotton cultivation takes place in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana of our country. Except these States, cotton cultivation also takes place in Karnataka, Tamilnadu, M.P, Rajasthan, A.P. and U.P.

72. Correct Answer is : (c) Both 1 and 2

National Parks are circumscribed by wildlife Protection Act, Biosphere Reserve is designated by UNESCo for overall conservation o fwild life. In national park conservation of genepools and species specific activities are conducted. Wildlife Sanctuaries are generally protected forest/wildlife areas where restrictions are limited.

73. Correct Answer is : (b) NETRA

Indian Space Research Organisation has recently set up a dedicated control centre for Space Situational Awareness (SSA) activities in the country, called NETRA. NETRA is Network for space object Tracking and Analysis (NETRA). The project aims to monitor, track and protect space assets of India. Very few countries such as Russia, US have their own

74. Correct Answer is : (b) Coffee tree requires direct sunshine

Coffee: Coffee cultivation needs hot and wet climate and fertile sloppy land. Coffee needs more temperature than tea. So it is cultivated in southern part of India. Coffee tree cannot bear direct sunshine and so it is cultivated under the shade of big trees and it grows rapidly beneath the big, trees. Coffee cultivation is found in the States of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu.

75. Correct Answer is : (c) Andaman Nicobar Islands

Rubber: Rubber is another cash crop. Rubber is needed by different industries and transport industry in this modern age. Rubber is both natural and artificial. Rubber is produced through chemical processes in an artificial way. Rubber needs equatorial climate to grow but it is now cultivated in hot and wet climate garden in natural way. Rubber is cultivated in the State of Kerala in India. Except Kerala, it is found in the Andaman Nicobar Islands, Kurgan of Karnataka State and Chicmagalur district etc.

76. Correct Answer is : (b) Northern Ireland

Sister Nivedita (1867–1911), born as Margaret Elizabeth Noble, was a Scots-Irish social worker, author, teacher and disciple of Swami Vivekananda. She met Vivekananda in 1895 in London and travelled to Calcutta, India (present-day Kolkata) in 1898. Swami Vivekananda gave her the name Nivedita (meaning "Dedicated to God") when he initiated her into the vow of Brahmacharya on March 25, 1898. She had close associations with the newly established Ramakrishna Mission. However because of her active contribution in the field of Indian Nationalism, she had to publicly dissociate herself from the activities of the Ramakrishna Mission under the then president Swami Brahmananda. She was very intimate with Sarada Devi, the spiritual consort of Sri Ramakrishna and one of the major influences behind Ramakrishna Mission and also with all brother disciples of Swami Vivekananda. Her epitaph aptly reads, Here reposes Sister Nivedita who gave her all to India.

77. Correct Answer is : (b) Assam

Coolie Strikes Back: Collective Protest and Action in the Colonial Tea Plantations of Assam, 1880–1920 The Non-Cooperators gained more and more energy at their success and became more aggressive. The congress volunteer corps turned into a powerful parallel police. They used to march in formation and dressed in uniform. Congress had already granted permission to the Provincial Congress Committees to sanction total disobedience including non-payment of taxes. The Non-Co operational movement had other effects also which are not very direct. In UP it became difficult to distinguish between a Non-Co operational meeting and a peasant meeting. In Malabar and Kerala the Muslim tenants roused against their landlords. In Assam the labors of tea-plantation went with strike. In Punjab the Akali Movement was considered as a part of Non-Cooperation movement.

78. Correct Answer is : (b) C. R. Das

Women in the Non Cooperation movement participated in large numbers. The Non- Cooperation Movement began with members of the reformed councils withdrawing from these councils. The next step was to boycott the law courts and schools. Congress accepted this program at a special session held on August 20, 1920. This event was a victory for the pursuits of Mahatma Gandhi and promised a more active role for women than the one offered by the Swadeshi vow. Gandhi's appeal went beyond "respectable" women to women marginalized by middle-class society. He had a reputation as a political leader who believed women counted and had faith in their capacity to help the nation and themselves.

Congress declared April 6-13, 1921 as Satyagraha week, and women interested in politics held meetings to show their support. At one of the several meetings which Sarojini Naidu addressed, women decided to form their own political organization, Rashtriya Stree Sangha (RSS), an independent women's organization, which required its members to join the District Congress Committee. Speaking to this group in August, Urmila Devi, the widowed sister of the Bengali Congress leader C. R. Das, urged women to be ready to leave their homes to serve the country. By November, 1,000 Mumbai women were demonstrating against the Prince of Wales` visit to India. In Bengal, events took an even more dramatic turn. C. R. Das, the most important Congress leader in eastern India, decided Congress volunteers should sell khaddar (homespun cloth) on the streets of Kolkata to test the government's ban on political demonstrations. The first batch of volunteers, including C. R. Das's son, was arrested, then his wife, Basanti Devi, his sister, Urmila Devi, and his niece, Miss Suniti Devi, took to the streets and were arrested. When word of their arrest spread, a huge crowd of Marwaris, Muslims, Sikhs, coolies, mill hands and school boys milled around until the police released the women. On December 8, 1921, the whole city was in commotion. As for the women from the Das family, they resumed picketing cloth shops and selling khaddar joined by numerous lady volunteers, especially Sikh ladies. Kolkata students came out in hundreds, joined the prohibited volunteer corps and marched out with khaddar on, seeking imprisonment. On that day alone, 170 protesters were arrested. Gandhi immediately recognized the value of having women form picket lines. Writing in Young India he urged women from other parts of the country to follow the brave example of Bengali women. The arrest of respectable women was viewed as an appropriate tactic to shame men into joining the protests. Less predictable, and certainly not an intended outcome, was the way these arrests affected other women. At the All- Indian Ladies Conference in Ahmedabad, 6,000 women listened to Bi Amma, the mother of Shaukat Ali and Muhammad Ali, leaders of the All-India Khilafat Committee. These were Gandhi&'s allies. Bi Amma urged women to enlist as Congress volunteers and, if their men folk were arrested, to join the picket lines and keep "the flag flying." Women from all provinces of British India stepped forward in response to Gandhi's call. In East Godavari District, a group of women gathered to meet and listen to Gandhi. Duvvuri Subbamam, a woman attending this assembly, joined the freedom struggle at this time and resolved to form a women-only cadre of Devasevikas (god-devoted servants). Learning that he would visit Kakinada, also in East Godavari District in April 1921, a twelve-year-old girl, Durgabai (later Durgabai Deshmukh) wanted local Devadasis to meet him. In preparation for Gandhi's visit, Durgabai visited the Devadasis to tell them about Gandhi and then asked the organizers if a separate meeting could be arranged. Congress officials jokingly replied it could be arranged if she raised Rs.5, 000 for the Mahatma. The Devadasi collected the money and Durgabai obtained permission to hold the meeting in a school compound. When Gandhi arrived, there were at least 1,000 women waiting to meet him. He talked to them, with Durgabai translating, for over an hour. The women listening took off their jewellery and added another Rupees 20,000 to the purse.

As Gandhi travelled and spoke, he urged women to boycott foreign cloth, spin, and join in public defiance of British laws. At the same time, women's organizations were petitioning the British Government for the franchise. Sarala Devi Chaudhurani Muthulakshmi Reddy, Amrit Kaur and many other women who followed Gandhi did not abandon the franchise issue. They were impressed with his empathy for women, personally committed to his vision, but unwilling to give up their work on behalf of civil rights. Gandhi was able to live with their ambiguity. Gandhi traversed through the entire country, convincing women about the potentials inherent in them. Women's rise to prominence over the tide of nationalism became the order of the day, during the noncooperation movement. Swarup Rani, Motilal`s wife, and Nehru's mother, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Mrs. Vijay Lakshmi Pandit began to establish their sway since and came to the forefront of the political sphere following the Non-cooperation Movement.

79. Correct Answer is : (b) Lord Curzon

Lord Curzon was the Governor General and Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905. Lord Curzon had successive two terms to preside over the Indian empire. The first term (1899-1904) marked the apogee of the imperial system under his paternalist care and ended gloriously. He accepted a successive second term offer, but only to resign within a year in the face of extreme controversies resulting from his measures. As a representative of the Conservative Government, Lord Curzon was expected to serve the British Empire as its paternalist figure. Eloquent, masterful, and energetic, Curzon had previously visited India four times and had been for three years the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

Lord Curzon was not ignorant of Indian affairs altogether. As of Wellesley and Dalhousie before him, Curzon was not expected by parliament to found an empire, which was already there though in unsteady form, but to build it structurally on the strongest foundation.

Frontier Policy of Lord Curzon Curzon's earliest policy measure was to withdraw troops from Chitral, the Khyber and the Khurram valley, which were not directly governed by British India. His policy was to use the concerned tribes to protect themselves with British help, if necessary at all. This policy kept the frontier quiet until the end of the First World War. Linked with this frontier policy was the creation of the North-West Frontier Province. Internal Administration of Lord Curzon There was no part of the administration, from the rent assessment at village level to the expenditures in the vice regal household, into which Lord Curzon did not look over. He undertook a complete overhaul of the whole bureaucratic machine. As preludes to reform, he tried to identify weaknesses and defects of office management, department by department. Inefficiency in work like regular delay in office attendance, slow movement of files, lengthy noting on files, writing long minutes in flamboyant style, taking the stereotype as the model, unnecessary dependence on the subordinates, tormented him. He had a very poor opinion of Indian Civil Service. Therefore, he took the most unprecedented steps by personally supervising the office improvement measures. Even the offices of the ICS officials came under his scrutiny. He asked them to take initiatives in good governance.

80. Correct Answer is : (a) Ootacamund

The Madras Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India. At its greatest extent, the presidency included much of southern India, including the present-day Indian State of Tamil Nadu, the Malabar region of North Kerala, Lakshadweep Islands, the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh, Ganjam, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangapur and Gajapati districts of southern Orissa and the Bellary, Dakshina Kannada, and Udupi districts of Karnataka. The presidency had its winter capital at Madras and summer capital at Ootacamund.

81. Correct Answer is : (c) 3 and 4

Batukeshwar Dutt was an Indian revolutionary and a freedom fighter in the early 1900s. He is best known for having exploded a few bombs, along with Bhagat Singh, in the Central Legislative Assembly in New Delhi on 8 April 1929. After they were arrested, tried and imprisoned for life, he and Bhagat Singh initiated a historic hunger strike protesting against the abusive treatment of Indian political prisoners, and eventually secured some rights for them. He was a member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association.

Batukeshwar Dutt, also known as B.K. Dutt, Battu and Mohan, son of Goshtha Bihari Dutt, was born on 18 November 1910 in the village Oari in Burdwan district, and lived also in Khanda and Mausu in Burdwan district in Bengal. He graduated from P.P.N. High School in Kanpur. He was a close associate of freedom fighters Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh. He met Bhagat Singh in Kanpur in 1924. Working for the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association in Kanpur, he learned how to make bombs. The British Government introduced the Public Safety Bill & the Trade Dispute Bill in the Central Legislative Assembly. They gave more power to the British Government and the police against Indian revolutionaries and freedom fighters.The bills were defeated in the Assembly by one vote. However, they were enacted by an ordinance, claiming that the ordinance was in the best interest of the public. To protest against this ordinance, the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association decided to explode a few bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly. Chandrashekhar Azad, the leader of that revolutionary movement, was not in favor of exploding bombs. However, others in the party persuaded Azad to accept Bhagat Singh's plan, and Azad selected Batukeshwar Dutt to accompany Bhagat Singh and throw the bombs in the Assembly. Along with Bhagat Singh, Batukeshwar Dutt was tried in the Central Assembly Bomb Case, and was sentenced in 1929 to life imprisonment by the Sessions Judge of Delhi under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code & Section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act. He was deported to the Cellular Jail.

Batukeshwar Dutt outlived all his comrades and died on 20 July 1965 in the AIIMS in Delhi after his long illness. He was cremated in Hussainiwala near Firozepur in Punjab where the bodies of his comrades Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were also cremated many years ago.

82. Correct Answer is : (c) Allama Mashriqi

The Khaksar movement was a social movement based in Lahore, British India, established by Allama Mashriqi in 1931 to free India from the rule of the British Empire and establish a Hindu-Muslim government in India The word "Khaksar" is derived from the Persian language, Khak means dust, and Sar means life, roughly translated as "a humble person." The Khaksar movement began at a time when the Indian economy was experiencing the effects of The Great Depression. This placed an unprecedented amount of stress on all classes of Indian society. After the disastrous proceedings of the second Round Table Conference On March 5, 1931 Mahatma Gandhi's Civil Disobedience movement was halted with the signing of the Gandhi–Irwin Pact. On July 8, 1931 Allama Mashriqi, a Muslim intellectual, made a full analysis of his principles for self-reform and selfconduct that he had laid out in his 1924 treatise entitled Tazkira and reincorporated them into his second treatise Isharat in August 1931. Both of these documents serve as the foundation for Khaksar movement. Mashriqi began recruiting followers to his cause in his village of Ichhra near Lahore, British India. An initial report citied that the movement began with 90 followers. The movement quickly expanded, adding 300 young members within a few short weeks. Over the next six years Allama Mashriqi developed his ideology which he delivered in a series of speeches at Khaksar camps.

Twenty-Four Principles In 1931, Allama Mashriqi stated that the Khaksar movement had three distinct objectives; "to emphasize the idea of superiority of God, unity of the nation and service to mankind" In addition Mashriqi outlined twenty-four principles on November 29, 1936 in an address to a Khaksar camp at Sialkot. This initial speech and subsequent set of principles encouraged members of the movement to serve the people regardless of their social caste or religion; and Khaksars were expected to convince others to join the movement through "love and affection".

Fourteen Points; The Khaksar Creed On March 14, 1937 Allama Mashriqi again addressed a camp of Khaksars at Lahore to deliver the fourteen points that became the foundation of the movement. These points solidified the notion that the movement was both dictatorial and militaristic. At this point the goals of the Khaksar movement were to establish rule in India, and then perhaps over the entire world. However the success of Muslim rule in India necessitated certain conditions, such as: "(a) "regard for the religious and social sentiments of the various communities that live in this county: (b) maintenance of their particular culture and customs, and (c) general tolerance". "Al-Islah" (Khaksar Tehrik weekly) Al-Islah (Khaksar Tehrik weekly) was the weekly newspaper of the Khaksar Tehrik. It was started in 1934 by the founder of the Khaksar Tehrik, Allama Mashriqi.

83. Correct Answer is : (d) Groundnuts are produced more in Gujarat

Oilseeds: Groundnut, mustard, rapeseed, linseed and caster help us to get our edible oil. Oil is also extracted from coconut. Out of these oils, some oils are used in the preparation of cosmetics. India occupies the first position in the world in the production of groundnut. Groundnut cultivation needs temperature varying from 20° to 30° degree Celsius and needs 60 to 80 centimeters of rainfall. Groundnut cultivation needs loamy, sandy and light soil.

Groundnuts are produced more in Tamilnadu. But this is also found in the States of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. India occupies second position in the world in the production of linseed (Argentina first). Linseed is produced in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Linseeds are used to produce color.

Mustard cultivation takes place in West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Assam. Castor is cultivated in the southern Indian plateau. India occupies second position in the world in the production of caster (Argentina first). Coconut cultivation takes place in the costal area of India. Kerala occupies first position in coconut in India.

84. Correct Answer is : (b) Wetlands cover an estimated 1 percent of India's land area

Wetlands of India Wetlands are areas of critical ecological significance: they support biodiversity, and directly and indirectly support millions of people including storm and flood control, clean water supply and food, fiber and raw materials. There are 19 different types of wetlands in India, ranging from mangroves to high-altitude lakes, from marshes to ponds, and cover an estimated 3 percent of India's land area. These unique natural resources are under threat from developmental activities and population pressure. State-wise wetland distribution in India The country has thirty five States/Union Territories(UTs). State-wise distribution of wetlands showed that Lakshadweep has 96.12% of geographic area under wetlands followed by Andaman & Nicobar Islands(18.52%), Daman & Diu(18.46%) and Gujarat(17.56%), have the highest extent of wetlands. Puducherry(12.88%), West Bengal(12.48%), Assam(9.74%), Tamil Nadu(6.92%), Goa(5.76%), Andhra Pradesh(5.26%), and Uttar Pradesh(5.16%) are wetland rich states. The least extents(less than 1.5 % of the state geographic area) have been observed in Mizoram(0.66%) followed by Haryana(0.86%), Delhi(0.93%), Sikkim(1.05%), Nagaland(1.30%), and Meghalaya(1.34%).

85. Correct Answer is : (b) Dewan Shatrughan Singh

Bundelkhand is the home of two great Indian freedom fighters and the father of the freedom movement in the whole of bundelkhand, Dewan Shatrughan Singh [aka 'Bundelkhand Gandhi & Bundelkhand Kesri'] & his wife Rani Rajendra Kumari. These were the two fountain heads of the freedom movement in all of Bundelkhand. They also were the main patrons of revolutionaries like Chandrashekhar Azad who frequented their Castle in their native village of Maungrauth. The Rani defeated the sitting UP Chief Minister C.B. Gupta as an independent candidate. They were also the main inspiration behind the Bhoodaan movement in Bundelkhand and Maungraut changed the history of the movement by beecoming the first complete Gramdaan. They were contemporaries and friends of Jawaharlal Nehru, GB Pant,Bhagvandas dubey,LN nayak,ML goyal and other great freedom fighters. Numerous scholars have done PhD’s on the life of these 2 great Indian patriots. There is an annual mela on the birthday of these two stalwarts held annually in Maungrauth in December and is attended by over 40,000 people. Despite being from one of the most affluent families in Central India this couple sacrificed everything for the nation and donated their lands to the poor. They were in British jails for the freedom struggle for over 9 years each. They are now the subject of folk tales and songs highlighting their bravery and hailing them as symbols of Bundelkhandi valor.

86. Correct Answer is : (c) Tamil Nadu

INLAND WETLAND INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT : Inland – Natural Wetlands Tamil Nadu has highest number of lakes (4369) followed by Uttar Pradesh (3684) and West Bengal (1327). Ox-bow lakes/Cut-off meanders are observed in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Assam and Orissa. Large number of riverine wetlands exists in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Assam and Jammu & Kashmir.

87. Correct Answer is : (b) 2 only

The Khasi are an indigenous or tribal people, the majority of whom live in the State of Meghalaya in north east India, with small populations in neighbouring Assam, and in parts of Bangladesh. They call themselves Ki Hynñiew trep, which means "the seven huts" in the Khasi language. Their language Khasi is the northernmost Austroasiatic language. This language was essentially oral until the arrival of European missionaries. Particularly significant in this regard was a Welsh missionary, Thomas Jones, who transcribed the Khasi language into Roman Script. The Khasi people form the majority of the population of the eastern part of Meghalaya. A substantial minority of the Khasi people follow their tribal religion; called variously, Ka Niam Khasi and Ka Niam Tre in the Jaintia region and within that indigenous religious belief the rooster is sacrificed as a substitute for man, it being thought that the rooster "bears the sins of the man and by its sacrifice, man will obtain redemption”. Other religions practiced include Presbyterian, Anglican, Unitarian, Roman Catholic and very few are Muslims. The Khasi people who reside in the hilly areas of Sylhet, Bangladesh are of the War sub-tribe. The main crops produced by the Khasi people living in the War areas, including Bangladesh, are betel leaf, areca nut and oranges. The War-Khasi people designed and built the living root bridges of the Cherrapunjee region. In several States of India, Khasis have been granted the status of Scheduled tribe. The Khasis are a matrilineal society.

88. Correct Answer is : (d) 5 and 6

In the Deccan region, most of the major river systems flowing generally in east direction fall into Bay of Bengal. The major east flowing rivers are Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Mahanadi, etc. Narmada and Tapti are major West flowing rivers.

89. Correct Answer is : (b) 2 and 4

Amongst the crocodiles and gharials, the salt water crocodile is found along the eastern coast and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A project for breeding crocodiles which started in 1974, has been instrumental in saving the crocodile from extinction.

90. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

The national calendar based on the Saka Era, with Chaitra as its first month and a normal year of 365 days was adopted from 22 March 1957 along with the Gregorian calendar for the following official purposes: (i) Gazette of India, (ii) news broadcast by All India Radio, (iii) calendars issued by the Government of India and (iv) Government communications addressed to the members of the public. Dates of the national calendar have a permanent correspondence with dates of the Gregorian calendar, 1 Chaitra falling on 22 March normally and on 21 March in leap year.

91. Correct Answer is : (b) Online verification of academic awards issued by boards and universities

The HRD Ministry recently launched a pilot project to create a national database of academic certificates issued by school boards and universities. To begin with, this year’s class XII results of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the results of the Central Teacher Eligibility Test have been made part of the database. The National Academic Depository, the body assigned to carry out the task, would facilitate online verification of academic awards issued by boards and universities, thereby identifying attempts made to use fake and forged academic certificates. Even students, who have lost their certificates, can access the database anytime and anywhere.

92. Correct Answer is : (c) Committee on Estimates

Standing Committees : Among the Standing Committees, the three Financial Committees—Committees on Estimates, Public Accounts and Public Undertakings— constitute a distinct group as they keep an unremitting vigil over Government expenditure and performance. While members of the Rajya Sabha are associated with Committees on Public Accounts and Public Undertakings, the members of the Committee on Estimates are drawn entirely from the Lok Sabha.

93. Correct Answer is : (a) Only 1 is correct

The volume and composition of domestic savings in India have undergone significant changes over the years. The savings rate (gross domestic savings as percentage of gross domestic product at market prices) averaged 18.6 per cent in the 1980s and 23 per cent in the 1990s. The savings rate exceeded 30 per cent for the first time in 2004- 05 and has remained above that level ever since. It peaked in 2007-08 at 36.8 per cent and reached an eight-year low of 30.8 per cent in 2011-12.

94. Correct Answer is : (d) CMS-01

India recently launched the CMS-01 communication satellite into the Geostationary Transfer Orbit. It was earlier called the GSAT-12R. The satellite was launched on a PSLV-C50 launch vehicle. About the CMS-01 Satellite It is the 42nd communication satellite of India It weighs 1,410 kilograms. It is a replacement of GSAT-12.

95. Correct Answer is : (c) C32 LH2

C32 LH2 is the largest-ever cryogenic propellant tank developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. It was delivered to ISRO recently. It is designed to increase the payload capability of ISRO’S Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) from 4 tonnes to 6 tonnes. The aim is to create self-reliance with regards to carrying heavier payloads.

96. Correct Answer is : (c) Indian Foreign Service

Prior to Independence, the Indian Civil Service (ICS) was the senior most amongst the Services of the Crown in India. Besides the ICS, there was also the Indian Police Service. After Independence, it was felt that though the ICS was a legacy of the imperial period there was need for the All India Services for maintaining the unity, integrity and stability of the nation. Accordingly, a provision was made in Article 312 of the Constitution for creation of one or more All India Services common to the Union and State. The Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service are deemed to be constituted by the Parliament in terms of Article 312 of the Constitution. After the promulgation of the Constitution, a new All India Service, namely, the Indian Forest Service, was created in 1966. A common unique feature of the All India Services is that the members of these services are recuited by the Centre but their services are placed under various State cadres and they have the liability to serve both under the State and under the Centre. This aspect of the All India Services strengthens the unitary character of the Indian federation. Of the three All India Services, namely, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian Forest Service (IFS), the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension is the cadre controlling authority for the IAS. The recruitment to all the three services is made by the UPSC. These officers are recruited and trained by the Central Government and then allotted to different State cadres

97. Correct Answer is : (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

In a federal polity, in view of large areas of common interest and Shared action between the constituent units, coordination of policies and their implementation is extremely important. Article 263 of the Constitution envisages establishment of an institutional mechanism to facilitate coordination of policies and their implementation between the Union and the State Governments. In pursuance of the recommendation made by the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State Relations, the Inter-State Council was set up in the year 1990 through a Presidential Order dated 28 May 1990. The Inter-State Council is a recommendatory body and has been assigned the duties of investigating and discussing such subjects, in which some or all of the States or the Union and one or more of the States have a common interest, for better coordination of policy and action with respect to that subject. It also deliberates upon such other matters of general interests to the States as may be referred by the Chairman to the Council. Prime Minister is the Chairman of the Council. Chief Ministers of all the States and Union Territories having Legislative Assemblies, Administrators of Union Territories not having Legislative Assemblies, Governors of States under President’s rule and six Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Union Council of Ministers, nominated by the Chairman of the Council, are members of the Council, Five Ministers of Cabinet rank nominated by the Chairman of the Council are permanent invites to the Council. The Inter-State Council has recently been reconstituted.

98. Correct Answer is : (d) Jaipur

On February 5, 2020, the Pink City of Rajasthan, Jaipur, received World Heritage Certificate from the UNESCO. The UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay visited India to present the certificate. Highlights The World Heritage Certificate was presented to Jaipur for the efforts of the people of the pink city towards preserving its cultural heritage.

99. Correct Answer is : (d) FI6

Scientists have found a flu ‘super antibody’ called FI6 that can fight all types of influenza A viruses that cause disease in humans and animals.

100. Correct Answer is : (d) Andhra Pradesh

The ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) recently discovered that the present-day state of Andhra Pradesh had a maritime center near the banks of Swarnamukhi river around 2,000 years ago. Highlights The excavations were performed at the state’s Gottiprolu that began in December, 2018. The ASI unearthed brick-built structures in varied shapes.