Focus General Studies Paper Model Questions for UPSC Civil Services (Prelims),2026 : Civils Prelims 2021 Model Questions (for GS Paper ) Set No. 11 (prepared on 14.8.2021)

Civils Prelims 2021 Model Questions (for GS Paper )

Set No. 11 (prepared on 14.8.2021)

Prepared by :P.Potayya Sarma

1)With reference to Pulicat Lake , consider the following :

1) The Pulicat lake in Tiruvallur district (Tamil Nadu) was the second largest brackish water lagoon in the country spread over 760 sq.km.

2) The lake gets fed by River Arani which emanates in Andhra Pradesh and flows for about 66.40 km in Tamil Nadu before joining the Bay of Bengal.

3)The Pulicat lake acts as a buffer to retain accumulated flood water till it gets discharged into the sea during the monsoon period and cyclones.

4) It, being an estuary, has a bar mouth which was nothing but a natural opening that helps in the flood water getting drained into the sea. The bar mouth of the lake gets closed almost every year due to sediment drift, making it difficult for the fishermen to fish either at the lake or in the Bay of Bengal.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

2) With reference to “Constitutional or party-political secularism’ , consider the following :

1) Constitutional secularism is marked by at least two features. First, critical respect for all religions. Unlike some secularisms, ours is not blindly anti-religious but respects religion. Unlike the secularisms of pre-dominantly single religious societies, it respects not one but all religions. However, given the virtual impossibility of distinguishing the religious from the social, as B.R. Ambedkar famously observed, every aspect of religious doctrine or practice cannot be respected. Respect for religion must be accompanied by critique.

It follows that our state must respectfully leave religion alone but also intervene whenever religious groups promote communal disharmony and discrimination on grounds of religion (an inter-religious matter) or are unable to protect their own members from the oppressions they perpetuate (an intra-religious issue).

3) Therefore, and this is its second feature, the Indian state abandons strict separation but keeps a principled distance from all religions. For instance, it cannot tolerate untouchability or leave all personal laws as they are. Equally, it may non-preferentially subsidise schools run by religious communities. Thus, it has to constantly decide when to engage or disengage, help or hinder religion depending entirely on which of these enhances our constitutional commitment to freedom, equality and fraternity. This constitutional secularism cannot be sustained by governments alone but requires collective commitment from an impartial judiciary, a scrupulous media, civil society activists, and an alert citizenry.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

3):

Regardless of whether we subscribe to the UN’s projections, or the IHME projections, India’s demographic future contains a peaking and subsequently declining population driven by a sharp reduction in fertility.

Consider the following :-

1)In the 1950s, India’s Total fertility rate (TFR) was nearly six children per woman; today it is 2.2.

Ironically, the massive push for family planning coupled with forced sterilisation during the Emergency barely led to a 17% decline in TFR from 5.9 in 1960 to 4.9 in 1980. However, between 1992 and 2015, it had fallen by 35% from 3.4 to 2.2.

2) What happened to accelerate fertility decline to a level where 18 States and Union Territories have a TFR below 2, the replacement level? One might attribute it to the success of the family planning programme but family planning has long lost its primacy in the Indian policy discourse.

3) Between 1975 and 1994, family planning workers had targets they were expected to meet regarding sterilisations, condom distribution and intrauterine device (IUD) insertion. Often these targets led to explicit or implicit coercion. Following the Cairo conference on Population and Development in 1994, these targets were abandoned.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

It may seem pragmatic to keep any pending litigation alive until all dues relating to it are paid and all legal issues are settled. However, it is somewhat puzzling that the Supreme Court of India has said it would keep the Italian marines’ case alive until “hefty” and “adequate” compensation is paid by Italy for the killing of two fishermen by its marines on February 15, 2012. The Court has indicated that it would not allow the closure of the trial until such compensation is paid. And it has ordered that the families of the victims be heard on this matter

Consider the following :

1) . Once the Union government has declared that it would abide by the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague, which granted immunity to the marines and favoured Italy as the appropriate jurisdiction where they could be tried for the crime, it does not seem proper to delay the process of bringing closure to the matter..

2) For one thing, the PCA, an arbitral tribunal that adjudicates disputes under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), has itself ruled that India is entitled to compensation for “loss of life, physical harm, material damage to property... and moral harm suffered by” the captain and crew members of St. Antony, the fishing vessel involved, and mandated negotiations on the quantum. Second, it hardly needs emphasis that the pendency of the matter in court should not become a bargaining point that delays the reaching of a fair settlement. Continuing hearings may also be seen as India being reluctant to cease all criminal proceedings against the marines as per the ruling

3) Article 253 of the Constitution of India, which says Parliament may enact a law to give effect to any international treaty or convention, has been cited to argue that in view of the arbitral court’s finding on jurisdiction being in conflict with the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2013 that the Union government alone can try the case, a law may be needed before the trial is closed.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

Instances of non-consensual sharing of images online to threaten and shame girls and women have raised serious questions about the mindsets of not only boys but of all youngsters, and their use of social media. Public opinion has pointed the finger at the growing and sometimes nefarious influence of technology. A quick fix of deactivating social media handles or deleting so-called provocative photos is often the most common response to such situations. However, this does not address the real problem.

Consider the following :

1) COVID-19 has exacerbated the challenges that women face

2) The National Commission for Women has reported a surge in domestic violence and cybercrimes, which has made girls and women more vulnerable as they struggle to fight another pandemic of violence and abuse inside their homes and online.

3) Against this background, UNESCO, UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA and the South Asia Foundation joined hands recently to support Nandita Das in the production and launch of the short film Listen to Her. We hope this will contribute to breaking the stigma around the issue and encourage women to speak up and seek help

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

The Income Tax department will take measures to dispel notions about allegations of ‘tax terrorism’ (harassing of tax payers), said D. Rohini, Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Consider the following :

“.

1) There are allegations about tax terrorism by some fringe sections of the society.

2) We will dispel the notion by reaching out to the citizens and also by identifying the fringe propaganda and giving a suitable response with facts and figures available at our disposal,”

3) Speaking at a webinar organised by the IT department as part of the commemoration of the 161st anniversary of Income Tax Day on 24.8.2021

It Is said.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

7)With reference to Hepatitis Day , consider the following :

1) World Hepatitis Day on July 28, it said civil society, particularly those living with viral hepatitis, must be equitable partners in planning, implementation, monitoring and governance of hepatitis programmes.

2)The effectiveness of hepatitis programmes will increase with the involvement of civil society as they closely worked with the communities.

3) It is highlighted the need to focus on fighting misinformation and stigma around viral hepatitis, particularly Hepatitis B and C.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

8)With reference to Heavy rainfall in Maharastra , consider the following :

1) The famous hill station of Mahabaleshwar received more than 1,100 mm of rainfall in less than 48 hours, resulting in heavy discharge from the Koyna dam, one of the largest in the State. The heavy rainfall has caused multiple landslips.

2) In Ratnagiri district, towns of Chiplun and Khed were flooded by discharge from the Koyna dam

3) subsequently, the Koltewadi dam, leading to the rising levels in the Vashisti river.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

9) HAM radio in West Bengal during tropical cyclones period:

The West Bengal State had in the past three years faced four tropical cyclones, Fani (May 2019) , Bulbul (November 2019), Amphan ( May 2020) and Yaas ( May 2021) and on all occasions the administration had to wait for connection to be restored to assess damage and send relief.

.Consider the following :

1) A few months after Yaas, a call was received from the district administration of the South 24 Parganas to train local youth from the Sunderbans in operating Ham Radio sets. This was to augment the community-based disaster preparedness of the region.

2) An expert of HAM Radio technology who is training amateurs operators, said: “After weeks of training, the volunteers have to take an exam by the Ministry of Communication following which one can get the licence to operate the amateur radio device.”

“At this moment, there are about 350 licensed Ham Radio operators under the West Bengal Radio Club,” said principal of the Indian Academy of Communication and Disaster Management

3) The HAM operators employ high frequency signals to connect with other operators. The technology comes handy when mobile connectivity is down.

So far, the State government has been engaging HAM operators at the annual Gangasagar pilgrimage on Sagar Island and natural disasters.

The empowerment of local youth to operate the technology will help the State’s disaster preparedness and management, it is said.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

10)

According to the Odisha Economic Survey, tele-density and Internet penetration is lower than the national average in the State.

Consider the following :

1) “The overall tele-density of Odisha is 76.46%, while the national average is 87.37%. Similarly, Internet subscribers per 100 population of the State are 43.95 in comparison to the national average of 55.12.

2) The Internet subscription per 100 population in rural areas stands at 34.51 whereas it is 85.98 in case of urban areas, in Odisha state.

3) In the Machhkund area of Koraput, students keep visiting bordering areas to catch the signal from the private telecom brand’s towers in Andhra Pradesh. They have been seen attending online classes in the middle of roads.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

11)

The Central Government has been implementing the National Family Planning Programme, which provided voluntary and informed choices to all citizens regardless of their religion or sects through a target-free approach with the objective of checking population growth in the country. India’s national population policy was framed in 2000 with the long term objective of attaining “population stabilisation” by 2045 and several initiatives had been taken under the National Family Planning Programme towards this.

Consider the following :

1) Several initiatives included a Mission Parivar Vikas to include access to contraceptives and family planning services in 146 high fertility districts in seven high focus States, expanding contraceptive choices by making condoms, combined oral contraceptive pills, emergency contraceptive pills, intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCDs) and sterilisation more accessible.

2) A scheme to compensate those who undergo voluntary sterilisation for any loss of wages and for the service provider and team for conducting sterilisation is also in place.

3)As a result, India’s total fertility rate had declined from 2.7 to 2.2 from 2005-06 (NFHS III) to 2015-16 (NFHS IV); 28 out of 36 States and Union Territories have already achieved the replacement level fertility of 2.1 or less and the Crude Birth Rate has declined from 23.8 to 20.0 from 2005 to 2018.

4) The Programme of Action (PoA) of the International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, 1994, to which India is a signatory, is unequivocally against coercion in family planning

5)International experience had shown that any coercion or diktat to have a certain number of children was counter-productive and led to demographic distortions like sex selective abortions, abandonment of the female child and even female infanticide due to intense son preference, all of which eventually resulted in a skewed sex ratio.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

12) Consider the following with reference to G20 Climate meet:

At the conclusion of the G20 climate meet, it is said that pledges by some countries to achieve net zero GHG emissions or ‘carbon neutrality’ by mid-century were inadequate, when considering the rights of developing countries to economic growth.

2) “It is noted the pledges made by some countries to achieve net zero GHG emissions or carbon neutrality by or around mid-century. However, this may not be adequate in view of fast depleting available carbon space. Therefore and keeping in view, the legitimate need of developing countries to growth, we urge G20 countries to commit to bringing down per capita emissions to Global average by 2030,”

3) The G20 climate summit, which concluded , comes roughly about 100 days before the Conference of Parties (COP 26) is set to begin in Glasgow, Scotland

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

13)With reference to ‘Net Zero Emissions’ , consider the following :

The ‘net zero emissions’ refer to a situation where a country is able to remove at least as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it is emitting.

This can be done by increasing forest cover or through technologies such as carbon capture.

2) India’s position as the third largest greenhouse gas emitter but also with among the lowest per capita emissions means that it has always resisted a hard deadline — some countries have set their target years as 2050 or 2060 — to commit to a net-zero future

3) It is expected that the forthcoming COP 26 talks in Glasgow will see a commitment by the United States.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

14) With reference to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) , consider the following:

1)Countries periodically submit the National Determined Contributions (NDC) that outline their plans towards capping emission.

2)As per the NDCs submitted to the UNFCCC under Paris the Agreement, the pledge of the United States falls short of its fair share by 12 tonnes of CO2 per capita, of the U.K. by 14.1 tonnes, of China by 0.2 tonnes, and of India by 0.4 tonnes, according to Council on Energy Environment and Water, a New Delhi based think-tank.

3)The fair share represents the reductions countries must achieve to ensure that the greenhouse gas levels are below that to prevent a 1.5 average temperature rise over the globe by the turn of the century.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

14) Consider the following :

1) heavy siltation in Marikina River for constant flooding in this city.(Philippines)

2)Typhoon In-fa churned toward the mainland (East China) after dumping rain on Taiwan

3)The storm had sustained winds of 155 km per hour with gusts up to 191 km per hour as it moved northwest away from Taiwan, the island’s weather bureau reported.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

15) Consider the following, with reference to elephants deaths in Odisha :

1)“Despite a large number of elephant deaths in the State due to electrocution, which are completely avoidable, no visible step is being taken to prevent them,” said heads the Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO).

2)According to the WSO, 389 elephants have died in Odisha since 2016-17. Of the 389, as many as 60 elephants died accidentally by contact with live wires. While earlier, sagging overhead transmission lines were responsible for electrocution deaths, more recently, traps to kill wild animals have claimed elephants.

3)“Minimum measures could have saved precious elephants in the State. Regular patrolling by field level forest staff can keep miscreants at bay. At the same time, the power distribution companies should have installed earth-leakage circuit breakers (ELCB), which would have ensured power disconnection upon elephant coming in contact with live wire.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

16) Consider the following , with reference to Exoplanets:

1)More than 4,400 planets have been discovered outside our solar system, called exoplanets. 2)No circumplanetary discs had been found until now because all the known exoplanets resided in “mature” – fully developed – solar systems, except the two infant gas planets orbiting PDS 70.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

17) Consider the following with reference to NSO and Pegases :

1)NSO was founded by three Israelis — Niv Carmi, Shalev Hulio and Omri Lavie — in 2010. The name NSO comes from the first letters of the founders’ names

2)The software, manufactured by Israeli cyberarms firm NSO Group Technologies Limited, is “extremely advanced and capable of infecting a mobile phone/device without any interaction with the owner”. “It can conduct extremely intrusive surveillance, including tracking and recording calls, reading text and WhatsApp messages, collecting passwords, reading emails, accessing photos and videos, activating camera and microphone and enabling them to record events,”

2)Besides Pegasus, the company also offers a host of technologies to fight drone incursions, improve search-and-rescue operations and advanced data analytics solutions

3)It now has 60 customers in 40 countries. Fifty-one percent of its clients are intelligence agencies, 38% law enforcement agencies and 11% military

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

18)

The NSO Group which developed Pegasus officially claims it has 60 clients in 40 countries, though the company has not revealed their identities. Going by the Pegasus Project’s analysis of the phone numbers that the spyware possibly targeted, its clients have interests primarily in 10 countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Hungary, India and the United Arab Emirates.

Consider the following :

1)Once inside the phone, Pegasus seeks “root privileges”, Claudio Guarnieri, who runs Amnesty International’s Security Lab, told The Guardian.

2)Root privileges is a level of control over the phone that is beyond what a regular user has. It enables Pegasus to set up shop within the phone and establish communications with its controllers through an anonymised network of internet addresses and servers. It can then start transmitting any data stored on the phone to its command-and-control centres.

3)This level of control also means Pegasus can turn on the phone’s cameras and microphones to turn it into a spying device without the owner’s knowledge.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

19) Consider the following :

1)Section 5(2) of The Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, states that the government can intercept a “message or class of messages” when it is “in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of an offence”.

2)The operational process and procedures for it appear in Rule 419A of the Indian Telegraph Rules, 1951. Rule 419A was added to the Telegraph Rules in 2007 after the verdict in the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) vs Union of India case in 1996, in which the Supreme Court said telephonic conversations are covered by the right to privacy, which can be breached only if there are established procedures.

3)Under Rule 419A, surveillance needs the sanction of the Home Secretary at the Central or State level, but in “unavoidable circumstance” can be cleared by a Joint Secretary or officers above, if they have the Home Secretary’s authorisation.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

20) Consider the following about ‘the need for oversight of surveillance’ ?

1)In the K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India verdict of 2017, the Supreme Court reiterated the need for oversight of surveillance, stating that it should be legally valid and serve a legitimate aim of the government. The court also said the means adopted should be proportional to the need for surveillance, and there should be procedures to check any abuse of surveillance.

2)The second legislation enabling surveillance is Section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which deals with electronic surveillance. It facilitates government “interception or monitoring or decryption of any information through any computer resource” if it is in the interest of the “sovereignty or integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order” or for preventing or investigating any cognizable offence.

3)The procedure for electronic surveillance as authorised by Section 69 is detailed in the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009. These rules, as per lawyer and executive director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, are very broad and allow even the redirection of traffic to false websites or the planting of any device to acquire any information.

4)It is opined that the use of Pegasus is illegal as it constitutes unauthorised access under Section 66 of the Information Technology Act.

5)Section 66 prescribes punishment to anyone who gains unauthorised access to computers and “downloads, copies or extracts any data”, or “introduces or causes to be introduced any computer contaminant or computer virus,” as laid down in Section 43.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 4 and 5

Ans: c

21)

BREXIT – EU

On July 21, 2021 the Boris Johnson administration informed the European Union (EU) that it wants to renegotiate the Brexit deal’s Northern Ireland Protocol. The EU has ruled out a renegotiation, but says it is open to “practical, flexible solutions”.

Consider the following :

1)The sovereign territory of the U.K. includes England, Wales, Scotland, and what is known as Northern Ireland, which occupies a portion of the island of Ireland.

2)The lion’s share of the island (26 of the 32 counties) forms the independent Republic of Ireland.

3) Ireland has long seen tensions between the Catholics/Nationalists, who want a unified Irish republic, and the Protestants/Unionists, who are loyal to the British crown. The long and violent conflict between the two sides — known as The Troubles — ended with the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, whose fragile peace rests on a principle that Brexit has now disrupted: there won’t be a border (and all that entails, such as checkpoints and customs) between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

4)Businesses in Northern Ireland have been complaining about cumbersome paperwork and compliance costs.

5)Some British companies would like to avoid the hassle altogether by withdrawing supplies to Northern Ireland. All this has angered the Unionists, who see it as another attempt to dilute their links with the U.K., pushing them into the arms of the Irish republic

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

22) Consider the following :

1)July’s exports are likely to reach about $33 billion, keeping India on track to cross the $400 billion mark in outbound trade for the first time this year

2) Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows were also expected to hit a fresh record in 2021-22

3)“We (India) are now in the top-10 list of agri-produce exporters... and many sectors which are labour-intensive are showing good traction,”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

23) Consider the following :

1)A recent study of the population of vultures in the Sigur plateau has found that the population of all four resident vulture species have seemingly been on the rise over the past few years.

2)Of the nine vulture species found in India, the four resident ones, as well as three seasonal migrants — the Eurasian griffon vulture, the Himalayan griffon and the cinerous vulture — are spotted in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) every year.

3)The fact that these vultures are seen here is a sign of the importance of the landscape as a whole

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

24)

In a major diplomatic triumph, the 13th century Ramappa temple in Palampet, Telangana, was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 25.7.2021 . At the ongoing online meeting of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in Fuzhou, China, the decision was reached after a consensus, with Norway opposing the inscription while Russia led an effort for the immediate inscription of the temple

Consider the following :

1)Built by Racherla Senapati Rudrayya, a general of Kakatiya king Ganapatideva, in the 13th century, the main temple is flanked by the collapsed structures of the Kateshwarayya and Kameshwarayya temples in Palampet, about 220 km from Hyderabad.

2)The temple, known for its exquisite craftsmanship and delicate relief work, is a savvy blend of technical know-how and materials of its time.

3)The foundation is built with the “sandbox technique”, the flooring is granite and the pillars are basalt.

4) The lower part of the temple is red sandstone while the white gopuram is built with light bricks that reportedly float on water.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

25)

Consider the following :

1)The authorities issued the first flood warning for the Godavari in Andhra Pradesh on 25.7.2021

2) the discharge of water reached about 10 lakh cusecs at the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in Dowleswaram

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

26)

The monsoon is nearing its halfway mark and July,2021 which is among the rainiest months, began with a rainfall deficit but has since seen a revival. All-India rainfall has been over 50% more than what is normal for this time of the year.

Consider the following :

1)Many regions in the Konkan coast and the southern peninsula have been seeing instances of extreme rainfall. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data on the regional distribution, the ‘South Peninsula’ has seen 29% more rain from June 1-July 25 than what is normal for this period.

2)Rainfall in Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, was torrential enough to beat its all-time record, according to the IMD.

3)The monsoon is characterised by unexpected variability that forecast models can capture only in a limited way. However, much evidence is accumulating that there is a distinctive change in climate patterns.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

27)

The frequency and the strength of cyclones over the Arabian Sea have increased in the last two decades. There has been a 52% increase in the frequency of cyclones over the Arabian Sea from 2001-2019 and an 8% decrease over the Bay of Bengal compared to 1982-2002, when, historically, most cyclones have been in the Bay of Bengal, according to a new study in Climate Dynamics.

Even the duration of these cyclones has increased by 80%. More cyclones are bringing in more moisture from the Arabian Sea and contributing to extreme rainfall events over the western coast, the most recent example being cyclone Tauktae in May,2021 which at 185 kilometres per hour was among the strongest cyclones to approach Mumbai.

Consider the following with reference to cyclones :

1)Cyclones drive storm surges that flood the coast. Studies show that a heating globe has increased atmospheric moisture levels, contributing to short, intense spells of rains.

2)The interaction between warming, rainfall and temperature is complex and variables such as aerosol emissions, particulate matter pollution, agriculture and forestry patterns must be accounted for.

3)However, the broader picture is that extreme events — bursts of torrential localised rainfall and prolonged droughts and heatwaves — are likely to increase, making the role of accurate forecasts that are able to warn of such events at least three to five days ahead even more important.

4)But the bigger challenge is to undertake so-called climate-proofing of the most vulnerable regions and taking warnings of scientific risk assessment seriously.

5)Evacuations ahead of a flood or a cyclone are not always effective and what is needed is limited construction in places that have been marked vulnerable.

6)Just as it is possible to plan earthquake-resilient structures and site them scientifically, but hard to anticipate a major quake, similarly, proper planning can insure against the inevitable extremities of nature.

7)International climate change agreements to limit greenhouse gas emissions will yield benefits only in the very long term but what is done in the near future will mean the difference between surviving and thriving.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 4,5,6

Ans: c

28)

The Constitution of India provides a long-term solution under Article 51A (h), which says, “It shall be the duty of every citizen to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform.” While the National Education Policy, 2020, captures the needs of the nation, it misses out on historical thinking.

Consider the following with reference to fake news?

1)Fake news is disinformation that has no basis in reality, but is presented as fact.

2) Being designed to manipulate both the intellect and emotions of a person, it can evoke strong emotional reactions in its reader, which could sometimes result in violence.

3)In the case of fake news, a person would have to be able to read a piece of news, examine the source for bias and ascertain whether the claims being made are factual or whether they constitute deliberate misinformation.

4) Since fake news is designed to appeal to emotion, it becomes all the more important that a person is skilled at interrogating evidence, contextualising the information and corroborating it with alternate sources. If historical thinking has such widespread application, why is it missing from active public discourse and in the education system?

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

29) INDIA – CHINA LAC

While disengagement was completed on both banks of Pangong Tso in February, the other friction points that remain to be resolved are Gogra and Hot Springs, Demchok and Depsang. The buffer zones established in some places as part of earlier talks remain in place. “Buffer zone varies from place to place,”

In eastern Ladakh, India and China have two mutually agreed disputed areas — Trig Heights and Demchok — and 10 areas of differing perception.

As per official information, since the stand-off last year,2020 additional five friction points have emerged. These are Km 120 in the Galwan area, Patrolling Points 15 and 17, and Rechin La and Rezang La on the south Bank of the Pangong Tso,

“China wants de-escalation first and disengagement later which is not acceptable to India as they can bring back troops and equipment much faster then we can do,” . Some of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) peace locations are located as far as 3,000 km from the LAC, but they can mobilise much faster

Consider the following :

1)For India, the area is cut off for several months a year which is not the case with China. Both the Zoji La and Rohtang passes were kept open longer than usual last year due to the stand-off and are available for seven or eight months.

2)Construction work on several tunnels is under way on a priority basis, including at Baralacha La and Tanglang La, among others

3)Stating that they have a clear picture of what the PLA is doing and they have vacated and gone back in some places . China has not increased its troop levels since the stand-off began but has rotated its troops. The PLA, too, is closely watching the movements of the Indian military. “We have about 1,000 vehicles going up and down the Rohtang axis everyday,”

4)However, the Line of Actual Control (LAC) will not become like the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan with very close deployments by both sides. “The LAC will not become like the LoC. But the force levels have gone up as the trust is lost. All agreements are broken.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

30)

Consider the following with reference to the idea of ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy’? (relating to latest China Foreign Policy )

1)There was this blockbuster movie that came out in 2017 about this Chinese action hero fighting foreign bad guys on the continent of Africa and avenging China’s enemies.

2)It was this unexpected commercial success, the highest grossing movie ever at the Chinese box office.

3)It came to symbolise this new mood in Beijing.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

31)

With reference to Bootleg fire , consider the following :

1)The USA’s largest wildfire, southern Oregon’s Bootleg fire, was over 40% contained as more than 2,200 crew members worked to corral it, fire officials said.

2) The Bootleg Fire named after the nearby Bootleg Spring, is a large wildlife fire that started near Beatty, Oregon

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

32)

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into “a hub of regional connectivity”.

Consider the following :

1) It is agreed to push forward the CPEC “with the aim to continuously unleash the great potential of CPEC to make it a hub of regional connectivity.”

2) China’s Foreign Ministry said that concerned countries had been in communication with Afghanistan over extending the corridor.

3)“Afghanistan has imported and exported related goods through the Gwadar Port and Karachi Port.

4) China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are discussing issues related to extending roads and expressways in Pakistan to Afghanistan,” and it is said that “the CPEC is an

economic initiative that is not aimed at third parties, and has nothing to do with territorial sovereignty disputes… and won’t affect our principled position on the Kashmir issue.”

5) India has opposed the CPEC, which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, although China has pushed ahead with projects and stepped up its investments in PoK.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 4 and 5

Ans: c

33) Inflation is the pace of rising prices.

Consumption baskets vary across profession, age, location, gender, taste, preference and the like. Hence, the inflation number is at best an approximation of trends in the economy.

Almost half the basket constitutes food and food products.

1) While food is the major chunk of expenses for many people, it is not so for everybody, particularly in upper-income brackets.

2) Services are missing in the CPI basket, except for house rent and certain aspects of transport / communication. We consume services such as doctor consultation, dining at restaurants, haircuts at salons, app-based cab services, data/wi-fi, education/coaching, driver and domestic help.

3) Net-net, if the headline inflation data for the month, as we see in the media, is say, 5%, then the inflation for your unique individual consumption basket may be, say 7% or even 3%, which is not evident to us.

4)So, it may not be appropriate to build your investment portfolio based on a variable that may not apply to you. What does it all boil down to? The issue at hand is negative real returns in debt investments.

5)Inflation is high, but does not typically remain as high forever. In 2020, CPI inflation averaged 6.6%.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 4 and 5

Ans: c

34) Family businesses which have not yet recognised the rights of daughters will see an impact from the Supreme Court’s 11.8.2020 verdict that gives retrospective effect to a 2005 amendment to the Hindu Succession Act of 1956, experts said.

The Supreme court has ruled that daughters will have equal coparcenary rights in a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) irrespective of whether the father was alive at the time of the amendment or not.

Consider the following :-

1)The substituted Section 6 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 confers the status of ‘coparcener’ to a daughter born before or after the amendment in the same manner as a son. Coparcener is a person who has a birthright to parental property.

2)“Most of the family businesses would have figured out how to accommodate daughters in terms of sharing wealth and allowing them to take part in business since the amendment came in 2005,” senior advocate N.L. Rajah said. “It will be an issue in the case of families that refuse to acknowledge the rights of daughters as per the amendment,” he added.

3)“The judgment further reinstates faith in the judicial system by making it loud and clear that daughters can no longer be deprived of their rights to ancestral property, no matter when they were born,” Valli Arunachalam, Karta of MV Murugappan HUF, said.

4)Ms. Arunachalam has been fighting for a board seat at Ambadi Investments Ltd. (AIL), the holding company of the 119-year Murugappa Group. She has been demanding that female heirs be given equal opportunity in the family business, post her father M.V. Murugappan’s demise in 2017.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

35) )With reference to PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana , consider the following :

1) Through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana and the National Food Security Act, the Central government is giving 10 kg of food grains a month to more than 80 crore beneficiaries of NFSA from April to November,2020 .

This, the Ministry estimates, in case of a family of four amounts to three quintals in eight months.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

36) Consider the following , in the context of spyware Pegasus ?

1)The West Bengal government issued a notification for setting up the commission under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 (60 of 1952) to “enquire into and report on inter alia the reported interception and the possession, storage and use of such information collected through such interception, in the hands of state actors and non-state actors.”

2)The notification said the commission may submit its report within six months of the notification (July 26).

3)The West Bengal government on Monday set up an inquiry commission, comprising retired Supreme Court judge Madan B. Lokur and former Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya, to look into the allegations of snooping on politicians, activists and journalists using the Israeli spyware Pegasus.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

37) consider the following :

The farmers also urged the Centre to remove the dam across Markandeya river near Yargol in Karnataka.

2) They said that if the dam came into operation, it would reduce the volume of water flowing into the Thenpennai, thus battering agriculture in northern Tamil Nadu.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

38) There were disputes arising out of demarcation of boundaries and claims and counter-claims over territories between Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

Assam will abide by any law enacted by Parliament that makes it even cede its land to another State but till then it will not allow even an “inch to be encroached upon”, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted on recenty, amid the border row with Mizoram.

Consider the following in the text of Assam :

1) Assam CM’s comments came a day after six Assamese people — five police personnel and a civilian — were killed and over 50 injured in the border clashes.

2) Assam CM also said Assam will move the Supreme Court seeking protection of the Innerline Forest Reserve from destruction and encroachment and deploy three commando battalions in Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts bordering Mizoram to strengthen security.

3) Assam has declared a three-day State mourning following the incident.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

39) MEKADATU BLANCING RESERVOIR – CUM – WATER PROJECT :

The Karnataka government has recently conveyed its response to the Centre regarding the Tamil Nadu government’s request not to take up the Mekedatu balancing reservoir-cum-drinking water project, according to Union Minister for Jal Shakti

Consider the following :

1) the Union Minister replied that the screening committee of the Central Water Commission (CWC), in its meeting on October 24, 2018, accorded “in-principle” clearance to Karnataka for the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) by the project authority (government of Karnataka), subject to “certain conditions”.

2)In January 2019, the Karnataka government submitted the DPR to the CWC, copies of which had been forwarded to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) for obtaining consent of co-basin States.

3)As for the position on the 1892 agreement between the Madras Presidency and the then princely State of Mysore (presently, States of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka), the Minister quoted Clause III of the pact in which the Mysore government should furnish to Madras “full information” regarding the proposed work on new irrigation reservoir or any new anicut on any river listed in schedules A, B and C of the Annexure to the agreement, and obtain consent of the latter ahead of the commencement of the work.

4)The Madras government “shall be bound not to refuse such consent except for the protection of prescriptive right, already acquired and actually existing,” the Minister’s reply quoted the relevant Clause as saying.

5) ON efforts made by the Centre to get the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal implementation, it is said that the Centre constituted the CWMA and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to give effect to the Tribunal’s decision, as modified by the Supreme Court in 2018.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

35) Consider the following :

1)”It is the duty of the State(Tamil Nadu) government to ensure that regular maintenance works are carried out in rivers, and that their flow is not obstructed by any natural cause”, the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal said.

2)The State is also expected to keep the Adyar river in conformity with the standard provided for river water, so that aquatic life can have sufficient oxygen, the Bench said.

3)If there is any laxity on the part of regulators in carrying out such activities, it will adversely affect the environment, especially the riverine environment ecology and aquatic life, including flora and fauna, the Bench said.

4)The Bench made these observations in a case related to the illegal discharge of sewage into Adyar river at Saidapet. It came down heavily on the Public Works Department and other government departments for not filing a report on the status of the river, as mandated by it.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

36) Mr. Bommai is only the second Chief Minister whose father (S.R. Bommai) also served in the same post, just as JD(S) father-son duo of H.D. Deve Gowda and H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Basavaraj Bommai, who was sworn in on 28.7.2021 as the the 30th Chief Minister of Karnataka, sought to project a welfare-orientated vision by kickstarting his tenure by announcing a scholarship scheme for farmers’ children and hiking pensions for senior citizens, widows, and the disabled.

Sixty-one-year-old Basavaraj Bommai, chosen by the BJP as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka, is known as a man who treads the middle path in a right-wing political outfit.

Known as a man who is not easily ruffled and has good parliamentary skills, he is known to be a troubleshooter for the BJP during the legislature stalemates as he also has cordial relationship across political affiliations. Even during the turbulent times in the faction-ridden BJP, Mr. Bommai did not have many political detractors.

Politics and administration are not new to him, as he is the son of Janata Parivar stalwart the late S.R Bommai, who had served as Chief Minister of the State and also Union Minister.

In fact, Mr. Basavaraj Bommai’s migration from a socialist party such as the Janata Dal (United) to the BJP in 2008 had raised many eyebrows, particularly in the wake of his father being a follower of Marxist M.N. Roy. But the junior Bommai managed to assimilate into the BJP and also became its soft and progressive face.

He earned the goodwill of the BJP high command for staying with it when his mentor and BJP veteran B.S. Yediyurappa left the party in 2012. But that did not spoil his relationship with Mr. Yediyurappa as he remained his trusted lieutenant when the veteran leader returned to the BJP fold and also went on to become its Chief Minister.

Consider the following :

1)Hailing from Hubballi in north Karnataka, Mr. Basavaraj Bommai is one of the few prominent leaders from the region who have made it big in the State’s political landscape.

2)Mr. Basavaraj Bommai served as political secretary to the then Chief Minister J.H. Patel in 1996-97.

3)In 1997, he was elected to the Legislative Council for the first time from the Local Bodies Constituency (Dharwad, Haveri, and Gadag area) and then went on to retain it in 2003.

4)He was elected Deputy Opposition Leader of the Upper House from 2000 to 2004. He is representing Shiggaon constituency in Haveri district in the Assembly for the third time in a row after joining the BJP.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

37)

Consider the following :

1)As the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) end their presence in Afghanistan and set off a churn in the neighbourhood, Central Asia is emerging as a key player that the global Troika of the United States, Russia and China are turning to. T

2)Three meetings in 2021, of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) contact group on Afghanistan and SCO Defence Ministers in Tajikistan, and the Central and South Asia conference on regional connectivity in Uzbekistan, are turning the spotlight on the region’s role in dealing with the situation in Afghanistan, and how India could build on that.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

38) Speaking at the Central and South Asia conference in July,2021 Mr. Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan, spelt out his plans for a modern version of the “the ancient northern trade route known as the Uttara Patha, connecting the Indo-Ganges Plain with the southern territories of the Eurasian continent through the historical cities of Takshila, Gandhara and Termez.” He spoke of the old Silk Routes that once bound Central and South Asia together, and called Afghanistan the key link in “practical connectivity” for them.

In this context , consider the following :

1)Significantly, it is mentioned the salience of the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railroad, the Trans-Afghan railroad to connect to China’s BRI, and the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) via the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas as key elements of the “architecture of connectivity”.

2)he did not mention the Chabahar route that India has espoused.

3)The Uzbekistan-Pakistan memorandum of understanding on Transit Trade — or the Agreement between Uzbekistan and Pakistan on Transit Trade (AUPTT) — was also signed , which would give Uzbekistan access to the Pakistani seaports of Gwadar and Karachi, rather than Iranian ports.

4)Uzbekistan’s calculations, and by extension, those of its other Central Asian neighbours, are three-fold:

i)the first is that prosperity for these land-locked countries can only flow from access through Afghanistan to the closest ocean, i.e. the Indian Ocean.

ii)Second, that all transit through Afghanistan depends on guarantees of safe passage from the Taliban, backed by the group’s mentors in Pakistan.

iii)Third, each of the “Stans” are now a part of China’s BRI, and tying their connectivity initiatives with Beijing’s will bring the double promise of investment and some modicum of control over Pakistan.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

39) Assam-Mizoram border situation :

I)Mizo border town of Vairengte

II)Disputed border between Assam’s Cachar and Mizoram’s Kolasib districts

Consider the following :

1)Assam and Mizoam can also move the Supreme Court under Article 131 of the Constitution, but litigation takes time. Meanwhile, the Centre can form a high-level committee, sit down with the States, and sort out the issue,”

2)The Assam Chief Minister said in the last few months several attempts were made to encroach Assam’s land in Hailakandi, Karimganj and Cachar districts in five sectors and the police foiled each attempt.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

39) A month’s rain poured in just 24 hours in the worst-affected areas of Germany and Belgium. This caused multiple rivers to burst their banks and flood parts of the two countries as well as the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

The Dutch have gone beyond their conventional dependence on dikes, dams, walls and gates to protect themselves from floods. Their current disaster resilience mantra is to live with water, build with nature and make room for the river. They champion creating adequate space for rivers to overflow by protecting floodplains from human interference, deepening riverbeds and creating alternate channels for excess water. After two major floods in 1993 and 1995, the Dutch embarked on several projects to widen riverbanks and reshape the areas around rivers

Consider the following :

1)Experts say the more CO2 the world emits into the atmosphere, the warmer will be the air temperature.

2)Warmer air holds more moisture and results in excess rainfall, which leads to flooding.

3)Additionally, increasing temperatures at the poles result in slower movement of storms in the mid-latitudes. As a result, storms linger longer at a specific place.

4)The combination of a slow-moving storm and the presence of surplus moisture in the atmosphere results in intense rainfall in one location within a short period of time.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

40)

The Government of India has proposed the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021.

This Bill aims to tackle all aspects of trafficking including the social and economic causes of the crime, punishment to traffickers, and the protection and rehabilitation of survivors.

This is achievable if the Bill has the necessary checks and balances against potential misuse of power by agencies, periodic reviews of the law, and adequate allocation of resources for effective implementation. The government must include these crucial provisions in the Bill and facilitate its smooth passage in the current session of Parliament.

Consider the following :

1)Human trafficking is a crime in itself, but it is also the propeller of several other crimes.

2)It creates a parallel black economy which fuels child labour, child marriage, prostitution, bonded labour, forced beggary, drug-related crimes, corruption, terrorism and other illicit businesses.

3)The architects of our Constitution established the severity of the crime of trafficking by making it the only offence punishable under the Constitution of India itself, besides untouchability.

4)A strong anti-trafficking law is the moral and constitutional responsibility of our elected leaders, and a necessary step towards nation-building and economic progress. It is non-negotiable for the realisation of an India that our Constitution-makers envisioned, our freedom fighters struggled for, our soldiers die for, and our children deserve

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d)3 and 4

Ans: c

41) Dholavira :

The Harappan city of Dholavira, in present-day Gujarat, was named the 40th Indian site on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. The two newly inscribed World Heritage Sites offer great insight into the knowledge and ways of life of earlier societies, customs, and communities,” UNESCO said.

UNESCO’s announcement came just days after another site, Ramappa Temple in Telangana, was admitted to the list

Consider the following :

1)“The ancient city of Dholavira is one of the most remarkable and well-preserved urban settlements in South Asia dating from the 3rd to mid-2nd millennium BCE (Before Common Era).

2)Discovered in 1968, the site is set apart by its unique characteristics, such as its water management system, multi-layered defensive mechanisms, extensive use of stone in construction and special burial structures,” UNESCO said.

3)A range of artefacts of copper, shell, stone, jewellery, terracotta and ivory had been found at the site.

4)Located in the Kutch district, Dholavira is the larger of the two most remarkable excavations of the Indus Valley Civilisation dating back to about 4,500 years ago.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

42) The CAA was notified on December 12, 2019 and came into force on January 10, 2020, steps were being taken to frame the CAA rules.

Consider the following , in the context of CAA :

1)The Committees on Subordinate Legislation, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, had been requested to grant further extension of time up to January 9, 2022, to frame the rules under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act,

2)The passage of the CAA, apart from the issue of National Register of Citizens, had triggered widespread public protests for several weeks in the country.

3)Several Opposition parties opposed the Act.

4)The law aims to grant citizenship to undocumented migrants belonging to six non-Muslim communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

43)

The Supreme Court asked the Union government to respond to a petition that said the fundamental right to health had taken a back seat as patients were forced to choose between expensive private care and an “inadequate” public health sector, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consider the following , in the context of fundamental right to health :-

1)A Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) issued notice on the petition filed jointly by Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Patients’ Rights Campaign and Gopakumar K.M. for the proper implementation of the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act of 2010, the Clinical Establishment (Central Government) Rules of 2012 and the Patients’ Rights Charter.

2)“The regulation of standards in clinical establishments adopted as a national policy goal by Government of India nearly two decades ago is yet to be effectively implemented across the country.

3)This is, therefore, a denial of the right to a dignified life,” the petitioner.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

44) Consider the following in the context of tourism industry :

1)With the tourism industry among the hardest hit due to the pandemic, it is estimated that about 21.5 million people working in the sector lost their jobs during the nine-month period from April 2020-December 2020, as per the data shared by the government.

2) Tourism Minister said a significant number of jobs were lost in the tourism sector once the lockdown was implemented.

3)“About 14.5 million jobs during Q1, 5.2 million during Q2 and 1.8 million jobs during Q3 were expected to have been lost as compared to an estimated 34.8 million jobs in the pre-pandemic period of 2019-20 [direct jobs],”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

45) Consider the following , with reference to attacks in Gaza:

1)“Israeli forces carried out attacks in Gaza in May,2021 that devastated entire families without any apparent military target nearby,” said Gerry Simpson, associate crisis and conflict director at HRW.

2)It is said that Israel’s “consistent unwillingness to seriously investigate alleged war crimes”, coupled with Palestinian rocket fire at Israeli civilian areas, underscored the importance of an ongoing investigation into both sides by the International Criminal Court.

3)The HRW report looked into Israeli air strikes. The most serious, on May 16, involved a series of strikes on Al-Wahda Street, a central thoroughfare in downtown Gaza City.

The strikes destroyed three apartment buildings and killed a total of 44 civilians, HRW said.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

46) Consider the following :

1)The second COVID-19 wave in 2021 ‘even more vigorously ripped the economy, particularly the MSME sector’ just as it was recovering from the initial lockdowns of 2020.

2)“The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Government should immediately come out with a larger economic package aimed at bolstering demand, investment, exports and employment generation to help the economy, including MSMEs to recover from the pandemic fallout,” said the report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: c

47) After nine people lost their lives in a landslip in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district, a debate surrounding the degradation of the environment in this ecological sensitive hill terrain is bound to gain momentum.

Consider the following with reference to landslips in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh:

1)A recent study suggests that both hydropower projects and afforestation efforts, carried out as compensation for the forest land diverted for hydropower projects in the name of ‘mitigation’, have altered land-use and are negatively impacting the forest ecosystems.

2)The study, titled Mitigation or myth? Impacts of hydropower development and compensatory afforestation on forest ecosystems in the high Himalayas, was undertaken by Manshi Asher and Prakash Bhandari, environmentalists associated with the Himdhara Environment Research and Action Collective. It was published in the Land Use Policy journal of January 2021.

3)The study, conducted between 2012 and 2016, used information from government records and ground research to examine the extent, nature and impact of forest diversion for hydropower projects in Kinnaur.

4)“Our study found that not only have construction activities for hydropower projects impacted existing land-use, disturbed forest biodiversity and fragmented the forest landscape, but the related compensatory afforestation plantations are also ridden with problems. These include abysmally low presence of surviving saplings [up to 10%], inter-species conflict, infringement on local land usage and damage by wildfires and landslips,” said Ms. Asher.

5)She said studies show that the tunnelling in mountain areas will result in the risk of more landslips as large amounts of water percolate into surfaces. “The use of dynamite for blasting through the surfaces and underground components of the projects disturb existing slopes and the fragile geology.”

6) President of the Kinnaur-based environment conservation organisation Hangrang Sangharsh Samiti, told that over the years, climate change is visible. “The conditions of Kinnaur are not favourable for hydropower projects. Construction activities include blasting, which has to be done in a scientific manner, but the ground reality is that there’s hardly any check on the frequency of blasting. We are not against development but Kinnaur is environmentally fragile, and this fact should not be ignored. Development at the cost of human lives is not acceptable,” said Mr. Negi.

Nine tourists were killed after boulders fell on their vehicle in a landslip near Basteri in Kinnaur district on July 25,2021

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3,4,5

Ans: c

48) Conditions in southern Europe were in sharp contrast to the rainstorms that lashed northern countries from Austria to U.K. following the catastrophic flooding in Germany and neighbouring countries last week (July,2021 )

Consider the following :-

1)Wildfires burned in regions across southern Europe in July 2021, fuelled by hot weather and strong winds, as some northern countries cleaned up after a weekend of torrential rain and flooding.

2)In Greece, Prime Minister said firefighters had battled around 50 fires during the past 24 hours and it was likely there would be more with meteorologists warning that a further heatwave was in prospect.

3)On the Italian island of Sardinia, firefighting planes from France and Greece reinforced efforts to battle blazes. More than 4,000 hectares of forest were destroyed in the fire.

4)In Spain, the northeastern region of Catalonia saw more than 1,500 hectares destroyed near Santa Coloma de Queralt, forcing dozens to be evacuated, although the blazes were 90% stabilized

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

49)

Consider the following :

1)Hinkley Point : in southwest England

2)Suffolk coast : in eastern England

Which of the above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: c

50) Consider the following :

1)The frequency and the strength of cyclones over the Arabian Sea have increased in the last two decades.

2)There has been a 52% increase in the frequency of cyclones over the Arabian Sea from 2001-2019 and an 8% decrease over the Bay of Bengal compared to 1982-2002, when, historically, most cyclones have been in the Bay of Bengal, according to a new study in Climate Dynamics.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: c

51) Consider the following in the context of Climate change :

1)Even the duration of the cyclones has increased by 80%.

2)More cyclones are bringing in more moisture from the Arabian Sea and contributing to extreme rainfall events over the western coast, the most recent example being cyclone Tauktae in May,2021 which at 185 kilometres per hour was among the strongest cyclones to approach Mumbai. They drive storm surges that flood the coast.

3)Studies show that a heating globe has increased atmospheric moisture levels, contributing to short, intense spells of rains.

4)The interaction between warming, rainfall and temperature is complex and variables such as aerosol emissions, particulate matter pollution, agriculture and forestry patterns must be accounted for

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

52) India – China LAC (Friction points)

While disengagement was completed on both banks of Pangong Tso in February,2021 the other friction points that remain to be resolved are Gogra and Hot Springs, Demchok and Depsang.

The buffer zones established in some places as part of earlier talks remain in place. “Buffer zone varies from place to place,” .

Consider the following :

1)In eastern Ladakh, India and China have two mutually agreed disputed areas — Trig Heights and Demchok — and 10 areas of differing perception.

2)Officials said since the stand-off last year (2020), additional five friction points have emerged. These are Km 120 in the Galwan area, Patrolling Points 15 and 17, and Rechin La and Rezang La on the south Bank of the Pangong Tso, .

3)“China wants de-escalation first and disengagement later which is not acceptable to India as they can bring back troops and equipment much faster then we can do,”

4). Some of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) peace locations are located as far as 3,000 km from the LAC, but they can mobilise much faster.

5)For India, the area is cut off for several months a year which is not the case with China. Both the Zoji La and Rohtang passes were kept open longer than usual last year due to the stand-off and are available for seven or eight months. Construction work on several tunnels is under way on a priority basis, including at Baralacha La and Tanglang La, among others.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

53)

Consider the following in connection with manifestations of freedom of speech :

1)“Acts of vandalism cannot be said to be manifestations of freedom of speech and be termed as ‘proceedings’ of the Assembly.

2)It was not the intention of the drafters of the Constitution to extend the interpretation of ‘freedom of speech’ to include criminal acts by placing them under a veil of protest,” a Bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah held in a 74-page judgment.

3)Legislators cannot unleash violence, run riot in Parliament or a Legislative Assembly and then claim parliamentary privilege and immunity from criminal prosecution.

4)Parliamentary privileges and immunities are not “gateways” for legislators to claim exception from the law of the land, especially criminal law.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3 and 4

Ans: c

54)

Consider the following relating to e-office :

1)e-Office is an application for conducting office procedures electronically.

2)It will facilitate the Electronic File Management System for speedy disposal of files. 3)The workflow management helps in creation, movement, monitoring and approval of files electronically, resulting in better utilisation of manpower, avoiding delays, leading to better governance.

4)Though the application is owned by the National Informatics Centre, the State government will host the server.

5)The sources said that more than 1,500 computers were being procured for the project, along with scanners and printers.

6)After e-Office is made functional by December-end,2021 the team will shift focus to other Departments functioning from Ezhilagam, Kuralagam and other buildings, besides the Collectorates.

7)Huge volumes of physical files stored in the Secretariat’s strong rooms are being digitized.

8)Every employee will be given an official email id ending @tn.gov.in to access the system. No access will be granted for login with Gmail and Yahoo. Transfer of files from private email services will also be prohibited to secure the system.

9)Officials were repeatedly urged through circulars not to use private email services for official communication.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3,4,5,6

Ans: c

55)Tamil Nadu received nearly 10 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) of Cauvery water in the third week of July, marking the most beneficial period for the State in the current water year (June,2021 – May,2022),

Consider the following with reference to Cauvery River :

1)For the week ending on July 25,2021 the State got about 9.4 tmc ft, taking the overall realisation to 15.13 tmc ft for July. This was attributed to the revival of southwest monsoon. However, the State suffered a shortfall of 11.6 tmc ft in realisation between June 1 and July 25 as it received 22.8 tmc ft, according to the readings of the Central Water Commission, which measures Cauvery water flow at Biligundlu on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.

2) the Mettur dam, the primary point of Cauvery water storage for the State, received 29,666 cubic feet per second (cusecs). About 10,000 cusecs was released for irrigation in the Cauvery delta.

3)Of the two reservoirs of Karnataka, whose outflows through the river essentially benefit Tamil Nadu, Kabini was inching to the brim with its storage (17.24 tmc ft) being 88% of the capacity (19.516 tmc ft).

4)It received 27,280 cusecs and let out 25,000 cusecs through the river. Krishnarajasagar had about 34 tmc ft against the capacity of 49.45 tmc ft. While it received around 26,800 cusecs, it let out 9,650 cusecs through the river.

5)Tamil Nadu’s other two reservoirs in the Cauvery basin, Bhavanisagar and Amaravathi, had an extremely comfortable storage. Bhavanisagar’s level stood at 100 feet, five feet short of the full level. Its storage was 28.726 tmc ft against the capacity of 32.8 tmc ft. Amaravathi was almost full with its level and storage being 88.69 feet and 3.928 tmc ft respectively, against 90 feet and 4.047 tmc ft.

6)The level of the Mullaperiyar crossed the 136 foot-mark, once the maximum permissible level. It stood at 136.45 feet with the storage of 6.231 tmc ft. The dam can store water up to 142 feet and 7.67 tmc ft. Most of the inflow (2,009 cusecs) was being drawn through a tunnel, which has the capacity to draw 2,300 cusecs.

7)At present, nearly 1,870 cusecs was being issued through the tunnel. Initially, the water was being used for power generation and then let into the Vaigai. The level of the Vaigai dam was being kept at 2 feet below the full level of 71 feet. All its inflow of 1,868 cusecs was being discharged.

8)Among the Parambikulam group of reservoirs, only the Sholayar dam was full. Its storage was around 5.17 tmc ft. Parambikulam and Aliyar had about 75% of their capacity (13.41 tmc ft and 3.87 tmc ft respectively), while Thirumurthy’s storage was around 60% of the capacity (1.74 tmc ft).

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 6,7,8

Ans: c

56)

Consider the following :

1)Swati Mohan, an Indian-American aerospace engineer who led the guidance, navigation and controls operations for NASA’s Mars 2020 mission, expressed hope that the advances being made in space tourism would make space travel accessible to more people.

2)To a question on recent trips of billionaires Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos to space during an online talk organised by the U.S. Consulate-General Chennai as part of its “Diaspora Diplomacy” series on 28.7.2021, Ms. Swati compared the recent events with the nascent stages in the evolution of air travel.

3)She said while air travel remained accessible to only a few people in the early days, the subsequent growth in the industry and technology made it an integral part of travel for most people.

4)“I would love to see space tourism doing the same for space travel,” she said and added that it could accelerate technological advancements, thereby making exploration of space not limited to a few but an activity that many could participate in. “It is something to see the world from outside of it. It changes our perspective. The more we have that change across society, the more it will help us to take care of our planet better,” she said.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3,4,5,6

Ans: c

57)A constitutional amendment is a rare event.

But such a moment has come to pass once again as Union of India vs Rajendra N. Shah, a judgment delivered by the Supreme Court of India on July 20, 2021. The 97th Constitutional Amendment was struck down, albeit in a limited manner.

Consider the following :

1)The 97th Constitutional Amendment came into effect from February 15 2012, and brought about many changes to the legal regime of cooperative societies. The amendment added “cooperative societies” to the protected forms of association under Article 19(1)(c), elevating it to a fundamental right. It also inserted Part IXB in the Constitution which laid down the terms by which cooperative societies would be governed, in more granular detail than was palatable.

2)The Constitution can be amended only by the procedure provided in Article 368. The amendment procedure requires a majority of the total strength of each of the Houses of Parliament and two-thirds majority of those present and voting. A proviso to the Article lists out some articles and chapters of the Constitution, which can be amended only by a special procedure. The special procedure requires that the amendment will also have to be ratified by the legislatures of half of the States. It is precisely on the grounds of violation of this additional requirement that the 97th Constitutional Amendment was challenged.

3)It is important to locate this amendment in context. The idea that the cooperative sector ought to be controlled at the State level and not at the central or Union level goes back all the way to the Government of India Act, 1919 which placed cooperatives in the provincial list. This scheme carried forward into the Constitution with Entry 32 of the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution conferring power on the State legislatures to make laws pertaining to incorporation, regulation and the winding up of cooperative societies.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

58) Consider the following :

1)As per Section 4(f) of Article 279A, the Union government can consider introducing any special rate to raise additional resources during the pandemic (any natural calamity or disaster).

2)Section 4(f) says: “The Goods and Services Tax Council shall make recommendations to the Union and the States on — Any special rate or rates for a specified period, to raise additional resources during any natural calamity or disaster”.

3)Article 279A was inserted through the Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

59) On the first anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP) on 29.7.2021 , the Centre plans to officially roll out some initiatives promised in the policy, such as a credit transfer system that will allow multiple entry and exit options in higher education, as well as engineering programmes in regional languages. However, other promised reforms such as the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), the four-year undergraduate degree, and the common university entrance test, are not ready yet.

Consider the following :

1)The Academic Bank of Credit will be rolled out on for students in over 290 top institutions from the current academic year 2021-22 onwards.

2)All institutions in the top 100 of the National Institutional Ranking Framework as well as those who have achieved an A grade under the National Assessment and Accreditation Council will be allowed to participate in the credit transfer system, which will also allow multiple entry and exit options for students, according to senior Education Ministry officials.

3)However, the proposal for four-year undergraduate degrees has run into some opposition, especially from faculty at the premier University of Delhi, and will also have to wait for the National Higher Education Curricular Framework, which is still being prepared.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

60) At least nine people are feared dead, seven are reported missing, and two have been injured in separate incidents on 27 & 28.7.2021 as incessant rain lashed Himachal Pradesh, resulting in flash floods in several rivers and rivulets.

“Twelve people were washed away due to a flash flood after a cloudburst in Tozing nallah in

Lahaul.

“In Kullu, a 25-year-old woman, Poonam, and her four-year-old son Nikunj, along with one tourist, Ms. Dineeta from Delhi, and Vijender, an official of the Hari Sons hydro project, drowned in the Brahamganga river near Manikaran owing to a sudden surge in the volume of water.

Several incidents of landslips have been reported across the State, especially the tribal districts, including Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, in the past couple of days as incessant rain lashed the hill State.

Consider the following :

1)Flash floods

2)Cloudburst

3)Landslips

Which of the statements given above is / are correct in connection with climate change and environmental degradation ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

61)

The project, which will consist of a number of bridges and causeways to connect Male to Villingili, Thilafushi and Gulhifahu islands that span 6.7 km, will take much of the pressure off the main capital island of Male for commercial and residential purposes.

Which of the above island will be connected by brdiges and causeways in Maldives ?

1)Villingili

2)Thilafushi

3)Gulhifahu

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3,4

Ans: c

62)

Cyber is often touted as the fifth dimension of warfare — in addition to land, sea, air and space. However, it needs to be understood that cyber, as the domain of military and national security, also co-exists with cyber as a domain of everyday life. It is the same domain. The war is no longer out there. It is now directly inside one’s drawing room, with cyberweapons becoming the weapon of choice.

Israelis, though not the cyber pioneers, today dominate the cyber domain along with the Chinese, Russians, Koreans and, of course, the Americans.

Consider the following :

1)The linkage between sabotage and intrusive surveillance is but a short step. There are many stories in circulation of the employment of the Pegasus spyware well before the present controversy, for in 2019,

2)The Pegasus spyware it is stated can copy messages that are sent or received, ‘harvest photos and record calls, secretly film through the phone’s camera, or activate the microphone to record conversations. It can potentially pinpoint where you are, where you have been, and whom you have met. Once installed on a phone, the spyware can harvest more or less any information or extract any file’. Ongoing efforts by the NSO Group, the makers of Pegasus, are devoted to making the spyware difficult to detect.

3)An earlier version of Pegasus, identified as far back as 2016, infected phones mainly through ‘spearphishing’. Since then, its capabilities have vastly increased, and it currently employs ‘zero click’ attacks, which do not require any interaction on the part of the phone owner. It is used to exploit certain ‘zero day’ vulnerabilities found in operating systems — about which the manufacturers themselves are unaware. Where ‘spearphishing’ or a ‘zero click’ attack cannot succeed, the Pegasus spyware can be installed over a wireless trans-receiver located near a target. Essentially, the Pegasus virus seeks what are termed as ‘root privileges’ — that enable communication with its controllers through an anonymised network on Internet addresses and servers and transit data.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

63) Compulsory vaccination has often been deployed in India and abroad.

The main bone of contention is that compulsory vaccination violates bodily integrity and takes away decisional autonomy from people, thereby violating their right to life and privacy. It is a well-established principle that no right is absolute; rather rights are subject to reasonable restrictions. According to the order in Justice Puttaswamy v. Union of India, a restriction on privacy can be justified if it passes a three-prong test.

Consider the following :

1)First, the restriction must be provided in the law. State governments have the authority to mandate vaccines under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, which allows them to prescribe regulations to prevent the spread of an epidemic disease.

2)Second, the restriction must have a legitimate aim. Compulsory vaccination pursues the legitimate aim of protecting the public from COVID-19.

3)Third, the restriction must be proportional to the object pursued. With more than four lakh reported deaths and a looming third wave, the current scenario counts as a pressing social need. Violations of rights from mandatory administration of a vaccine cannot be termed so grave so as to override the health rationale underlying the government’s order. Nevertheless, the government could provide appropriate accommodation for persons based on genuine medical reasons. Even if the court felt that the consequences of non-compliance with the order (i.e., non-resumption of economic activities) was excessive, the government could have been ordered to replace it with less stringent consequences, such as a moderate fine.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

64) The All India Council of Technical Education is creating a database of resources to allow colleges to offer more programmes in regional languages and has developed a tool to translate engineering course content into 11 languages.

Consider the following :

1)Speaking at an event to mark the first anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, it is told that strong emphasis is given on education in the mother tongue.

2)14 engineering colleges in eight States are going to start engineering studies in five Indian languages: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Bangla,”

3)Teaching in regional languages will offer access to higher education for students from rural, low-income families who may not be fluent in English,

4)The launch of Indian Sign Language as a regular language subject in secondary schools, promoting inclusivity for speech and hearing-challenged students.

5)NEP was a key component of nation building, and a future-oriented exercise preparing today’s youth to help build tomorrow’s India. A four-hour training programme on artificial intelligence developed by the Central Board of Secondary Education and Intel India would also contribute to a digital-driven economy,

6)The programme aims to introduce artificial intelligence to 10 lakh people in its first year, and is available in 11 languages.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 3,4,5,6

Ans: c

65)Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) said that some parts of the economy may be witnessing a K-shaped recovery, as smaller firms and urban poor had been hit harder by the pandemic, but stressed that India’s overall economic rebound remains V-shaped.

Consider the following :

1)Retail inflation would slip below 6% this month or in August, but would remain rangebound at 5%-6% in the near future, he said, adding that India’s growth would pick up to 8% after stabilising at 6.5%-7% over the coming years. “There has been a V-shaped recovery in the last year,”

2)people at the bottom of the pyramid, especially the urban poor have been impacted more,” .

3)“Some commentators may say therefore, this is a K-shaped recovery. But that is more at the sectoral level… at the macro level, there has been a V-shaped recovery.”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

66) USA’s Gross domestic product rose at a 6.5% annualised rate last quarter, the Commerce Department said on 29.7.2021.

The USA economy grew at a 6.3% rate in the first quarter, revised down from the previously reported 6.4% pace.

The National Bureau of Economic Research, the arbiter of U.S. recessions, declared last week that the pandemic downturn, which started in February 2020, ended in April 2020.

Economic expansion is expected to remain solid for the remainder of this year. A resurgence in COVID-19 infections, driven by the Delta variant, however, poses a risk to the outlook.

Consider the following, in the context of USA:

1)Higher inflation, if sustained, as well as ongoing supply chain disruptions could also slow the economy.

2)President Joe Biden’s administration provided $1.9 trillion in pandemic relief in March,2021. That brought the amount of government aid to almost $6 trillion since the pandemic started in the U.S. in March 2020.

3)Almost half of the population has been vaccinated against COVID-19, allowing Americans to travel, frequent restaurants and attend sporting events among services-related activities that were curbed early in the pandemic.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

QUESTIONS BASED ON NEWS IN August , 2020

67)

The Supreme Court found civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan guilty of criminal contempt by “scandalising the court”.

A three-judge Bench said that the accused his tweet on a photograph of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad A. Bobde astride a bike and another on the court’s role in the past six years scandalised the Supreme Court as an institution.

The tweets had the effect of attempting to destabilise Indian democracy. Such malice should be dealt with an iron hand in the larger public interest. The magnanimity of courts should not extend to weakness, the top court said in its 108-page judgment.

The Bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra, said when a “scheme” was on to damage public confidence in the judiciary, those interested in fearless justice should stand firmly. The court could not ignore the disrespect and disaffection created by the “scurrilous” tweets.

The Bench fixed the sentence hearing on August 20. The Contempt of Court Act of 1971 punishes with imprisonment that may extend to six months or fine of ₹2,000 or both.

Consider the folloiwng :

1)The judgment said punishing a lawyer was an extreme measure but nevertheless necessary to keep the “streams of justice pure, serene and undefiled”. Judiciary was the central pillar of Indian democracy. It was the duty of the court to punish to preserve its dignity, the judgment emphasised.

“2)If such an attack is not dealt with requisite degree of firmness, it may affect national honour and prestige in the comity of nations,” the judgment, written by Justice B.R. Gavai, pointed out. The Bench, also comprising Justice Krishna Murari, dismissed Mr. Bhushan’s defence that criticism was not contempt.

3)Mr. Bhushan termed the tweets expressions of his anguish that “everything is not hunky-dory”.

4)Justice Gavai differed with him, saying, “Critics are instruments of reform, but not those actuated by malice but those who are inspired by public weal... Hostile criticism of judges as judges or judiciary would amount to scandalising the court.”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

68)

1)hundreds of fish were found dead in Ennore Creek (Tamil Nadu)

2)a thick stench hung in the air near Nettukuppam in north Chennai .

3)Fishermen said it was due to hot water discharge from a neighbouring thermal power station.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

69)The National Education Policy 2020 intends to transform education into a multidisciplinary, flexible and a continuous learning experience say experts.

1)It is said that the policy was framed to prepare students for a big transformation.

2)Since education was on the concurrent list, the States had the right to implement it the way they want

3)The scope of assessment went far beyond examination.

4)The assessment at grades 3, 5 and 8 were not public exams. A crucial aspect of this policy was how it would change the various boards of education, it is opined .

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

70) In the context of present context, consider the following :

1)At a time ‘when sorrows come’, not as ‘single spies, but in battalions’ with an unprecedented pandemic, Chinese soldiers squatting on India’s side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), cartographic aggression by little Nepal, Iran joining a virtual alliance with China, Russia getting close to China, Pakistan shooting across the Line of Control (LoC), a looming financial crisis and other challenges, fundamental questions are being asked about the strategic depth of our foreign policy.

2)There was anxiety that English dominated regional languages. Giving children an opportunity to learn different languages would enhance their ability to think.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: c

71) Consider the following in the context of data privacy :

1)On the privacy front, even after the Supreme Court of India had declared privacy as a fundamental right, the government insisted on affidavit in the top court that informational privacy or data privacy cannot be a fundamental right.

2)The Aadhar Act diluted the notion of ‘privacy’ and the standard of proportionality test set up by the Supreme Court.

3)In an ongoing dilemma, even the ‘Aarogya Setu’ app is battling to satisfy the conscience of privacy overseers. The clear impression is that the government is more interested in ‘control’ than ‘protection’ of data.

4)A national policy on data privacy of individuals is still a non-starter. People continue to suffer because of the regular incidents of data theft.

5)India’s cybersecurity watchdog, CERT-In, in 2019 reported huge data theft of Facebook and Twitter users by malicious third party apps. Reportedly, more than 1.3 million credit and debit card details from Indian banks and the data of 6.8 million users from an Indian health-care website were stolen .

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

72)The Personal Data Protection Bill, struggled to be born in Parliament despite conception in 2018, is more about control and surveillance than about promoting privacy and protection of data.

Far-reaching exemptions, in large measure swallowing the rule, have been carved out where personal data can be processed.

1)Section 35, which provides the government with unfettered access to personal data, negates the three tests of legality, necessity and proportionality given by the Supreme Court in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) vs Union Of India.

2)The Bill also allows State and private parties to process personal data without obtaining consent and such broad exemptions would not only open the floodgates for misuse but also reduce India’s prospects of entering into bilateral arrangements for law enforcement access.

3)Selection committees, terms of appointment and of removal establish beyond doubt that the Authority is likely to be like a rehabilitation centre for retired bureaucrats, yet a sinecure wholly controlled by the government.

4)It is a classic case of rolling up judge, jury and executioner. Only an Internet ombudsman with experts on cyber and Internet laws, IT, data management, data science, data security, public administration and national security, and consciously involving eminent sections of civil society, can be an effective antidote to unregulated technological disruptions.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

73)

Experts from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII-Dehradun) and the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department are all set to begin the country’s maiden exercise of collaring 10 fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) in the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary in the Godavari estuary to study the species’ ecology, home range, behaviour in different seasons, feeding habits, threats, movements and use of space.

Consider the following :

1)By 2018, the population of the fishing cat in the sanctuary was 115.

2)The three-year project is expected to be grounded in the sanctuary’s 235.7-sq. km mangrove ecosystem, capturing the fishing cats and collaring them with light weight equipment containing the Geographical Information System.

3) DFO, Rajamahendravaram, Wildlife Management Division, told that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had permitted the capture and collaring of the fishing cats. WII experts would collar the fishing cats before letting the animals into their natural habitat.

4)Yanam-based Vedanta Limited (Cairn Oil and Gas Division) has come forward to provide ₹74 lakh for the project and ₹45 lakh had been released.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

74) A week after the Air India Express flight IX 1344 crashed at the Calicut International Airport, the investigation team has downloaded data from the two “black boxes”, according to the Director General of Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Group Captain.

Consider the following :

1)“Raw data from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder has been downloaded and is being processed. If any requirement is felt at any stage of investigation, necessary assistance from specialised agencies in India or abroad would be sought,” the DG wrote in an e-mail in response to a specific question on whether the data recorders were intact necessitating help from aircraft manufacturer, Boeing. The aircraft involved in 2020 year crash (August ) was a Boeing 737-800 Next Generation (NG)

2)The AAIB has constituted a five member team to investigate the accident within five months. The team will “investigate, determine the probable cause (s), contributory factor(s) leading to the Accident and make recommendation(s) to avoid recurrence of such incident in future,” the DG explained.

3)The team comprises officials from safety regulatory body DGCA, AAIB as well as the Indian Air Force.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

75) India in 2020, welcomed the normalisation of ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), calling them both “key strategic partners”.

Consider the following with reference to Abraham Accords:-

1)External Affairs Minister received a call from UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to explain the decision to establish full ties with Israel, becoming the first Gulf country, and the third Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan, to do so.

2)The trilateral agreement called the “Abraham Accords”, signed along with the U.S. on Thursday, also commits Israel to suspend its plans for annexation of Palestine majority areas.

3)“India has consistently supported peace, stability and development in West Asia, which is its extended neighbourhood. In that context, we welcome the full normalisation of ties between UAE and Israel,” said MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, briefing journalists

4)The agreement would make the UAE the first Gulf Arab state — and the third Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan — to have full diplomatic ties with Israel. The Palestinians say the deal amounts to “treason” and have called on Arab and Muslim countries to oppose it. Later on Friday, Turkish President Recep Erdogan said he was considering downgrading Turkey’s relations with the UAE and recalling its Ambassador.

5)The UAE, which has never fought Israel and has quietly been improving ties for years, said the agreement put a hold on Israel’s plans to unilaterally annex parts of the occupied West Bank, which the Palestinians view as the heartland of their future state.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

76) Consider the following with reference to RBI :

1)The board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the transfer of ₹57,128 crore as surplus to the government for the accounting year 2019-20, while deciding to maintain the Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.5%, the RBI said in a statement in 2020.

2)In 2019 , RBI had transferred ₹1.76 lakh crore, which included ₹1.23 lakh crore as dividend and ₹52,637 crore of excess provisions.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) only

(d) None of these

Ans: c

=================================================================

16.8.2020 news

77) In connection with National Digital Healath Mission consider the following :

1) National Digital Health Mission would give every Indian a health identity verifiable digitally and will work as each Indian’s health account,”

2) “Every test, disease, diagnosis and medical report along with medicines will be stored in every citizen’s health ID.”

3)The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) aims at “liberating” citizens from the challenges of finding the right doctors, seeking appointment, paying consultation fee and making several rounds of hospitals for prescription sheets.

4) “Every Indian will get a Health ID card. Every time you visit a doctor or a pharmacy, everything will be logged in this card. From the doctor’s appointment to the medication, everything will be available in your health profile,” .

5)The National Health Authority (NHA), the attached office of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare which runs the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, would “design, build, roll-out and implement the NDHM,” the Health Ministry

78)The NDHM would be a voluntary programme to reduce the gap among stakeholders, such as doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers, by connecting them in an integrated digital health infrastructure.

7) “The core building blocks of NDHM such as Health ID, Digi-Doctor and Health Facility Registry shall be owned, operated and maintained by the Government of India. Private stakeholders will have an equal opportunity to integrate with these building blocks and create their own products. However, core activities and verifications, for example, generation of Health ID or approval of a doctor/facility shall remain with the government.”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

79) Consider the following with reference to decriminalization of politics :

1)The Madras High Court has directed the Centre to explain in two weeks as to why it should not enact a law prohibiting people with criminal background from contesting in parliamentary, Assembly and local body elections.

2)Passing an interim order on a habeas corpus petition (HCP), the judges said: “This is possible only if the top leaders of our political parties are firm in not admitting criminals in their parties. The leaders should have a vision for decriminalisation of politics”.

3)The Bench pointed out that an analysis of the 2019 Lok Sabha election winners by the Association for Democratic Reforms, a non-governmental organisation, revealed that 43% (233 out of 539 Members of Parliament) had declared criminal cases pending against them. Further, 29% (159 MPs) of the legislators were facing serious criminal cases.

4)“Therefore, the Central government has to come out with a comprehensive legislation to prohibit persons with criminal background from contesting elections,” the Bench said.

5) “Indian democracy should not be tainted by criminals. It is seen that some of the criminal elements are also floating political parties on their own with the support of their religion or communities and the same is required to be prohibited”.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

80)

Launching ‘Operation Hidden Idol’ in 2012, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security had unearthed a treasure of 2,622 objects valued at $108 million from the business and storage facilities of Subash Kapoor. The authorities secured the cooperation of Kapoor’s former associates and seized documents, which, on investigation, led to a network of antiquities smugglers.

Following this, the U.S. authorities began seizing many antique pieces from auction houses and art galleries across the country. Over 200 of them were returned to India in June 2016, while many are yet to be handed over due to pending legal formalities.

Consider the following :

1)The restitution includes the marble Apsara ceiling panel depicting a celestial goddess figure dated to the 10th century, valued at $500,000; and a stone relief of Shiva and Parvati standing next to each other with halos behind them, dated to the 8th century.

2)The red sandstone relief of a couple from the region of Mathura in India, belonging to somewhere between the 1st and 2nd century was valued at about $100,000.

3)They were seized from Nancy Weiner Gallery on March 16, 2016.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

81) All the roads connecting Chintoor Agency with Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Telangana had been blocked in August,.2020 morning with flood water inundating a network of roads at Chatti area, where water from the Sabari tributary reaches the Godavari.

Consider the following :

1)Three inter-State roads — Chintoor-Badrachalam (Telangana), Chintoor-Kunta (Chhattisgarh) and Chintoor-Motu (Odisha) — have been flooded disrupting movement between Chintoor Agency to the three States.

2)In Telangana, a flood alert has been sounded in the riverside villages as the waters inched closer to the second warning level of 48 feet at Bhadrachalam, following heavy downpour in the catchment areas of the river for the third consecutive day .

3)In Khammam district, all the major rivers including the Munneru, Wyra and Akeru were in spate.

4)Sabari is a tributary river of Godavari river.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

82)

PM of India made a pitch for not just good relations with South Asian neighbours but also the wider neighbourhood beyond the immediate. “West Asian countries with whom we have deep ties owing to energy security but also because many of our people live and work in these countries have been our long term friends and I want to thank them for the care they took of our people during the pandemic.

ASEAN countries are also tied to us through cultural and trade ties and we are increasing our maritime cooperation,” he said.

Consider the following topics which got priority in 2020 :

1)Connectivity was an issue that was both economic and security related and it was announced that Lakshadweep would get optical fibre connectivity in the next 1,000 days.

2) “Over 173 districts are on the coastline or a border with another country.

3)The NCC will be raising a voluntary cadet force of nearly a lakh young people in these areas.” 1,300 islands come under Indian territory and developing some of them would be a priority.

4)Referring to the bhoomipoojan for Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Prime Minister said “the calm and sense of harmony displayed by the people across the country was unprecedented” and that it was this spirit that would lead to the development of the country.

5)PM mentioned that for this leveraging of human resources was important, especially, the women. He announced that his government would be reconsidering the mandated minimum age of marriage for women.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

83)

Age of marriage of women

In the Budget Speech on February 1, 2020, it was said that a task force was proposed to look into the “age of a girl entering motherhood” in order to lower maternal mortality rates and improve nutrition levels.

In June, the government announced a 10-member panel headed by Jaya Jaitly and comprising Secretaries from the Ministries of Human Resource Development, Women and Child Development, and Health and Family Welfare, among others. The committee has missed its July 31 deadline to finalise its report and give recommendations.

“This is a really important direction and a welcome recognition at the highest levels in the government about the links between the health of mothers and babies when a girl is married too early and has a child before the age of 20 years.

The challenges are not straightforward though as reasons for early marriage vary across the country,” says Purnima Menon, senior research fellow, at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

A study conducted by IFPRI and published last year in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health showed that children born to adolescent mothers (10-19 years) were 5 percentage points more likely to be stunted (shorter for their age) than those born to young adults (20-24 years), and 11 percentage points more stunted than children born to adult mothers.

Consider the following :

1)Children born to adolescent mothers also had 10 percentage points higher prevalence of low weight as adult mothers. It also highlighted other factors, such as lower education among teenage mothers and their poor economic status, which had the strongest links with a child’s height and weight measurements. It recommended that “increasing age at first marriage, age at first birth, and girl’s education are a promising approach to also improve maternal and child nutrition”.

2)However, activists appealed that the issue must be addressed by empowering girls as poverty and lack of safety are the main drivers of early marriage.

3)The National Coalition Advocating for Adolescent Concerns on behalf of 21 NGOs in its submission to the Task Force in July 2020 asserted that increasing the legal age of marriage for girls will only “artificially expand the numbers of married persons deemed underage and criminalise them and render underage married girls without legal protection. Instead, transformative, well resourced measures that increase girls’ access to education and health, create enabling opportunities and place girl’s empowerment at the centre will not just delay marriage but lead to a long term, positive health and education outcomes”.

4)It also underlined that the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 instead of curbing child marriages, has only played as a weapon in the hands of parents to punish their daughters for elopement and is used in conjunction with other laws to punish boys in self-arranged marriages.

5)“While legal enactment to prevent child marriages is necessary, we must simultaneously work towards keeping girls in school, invest in economic and social empowerment of women and girls, as well as targeted social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) campaigns to put an end to this harmful practice,” said Poonam Muttreja of the Population Foundation of India.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

84) Consider the following :

1)In 1920,in USA suffragist Molly Dewson sat down to write a letter of congratulations to Maud Wood Park,

2)She had just been chosen as the first president of the League of Women Voters, formed in anticipation of the passage of the 19th Amendment to help millions of women carry out their newfound right as voters.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(d) None of these

Ans: c

85) The Supreme Court held daughters, like sons, have an equal birthright to inherit coparcenary property and the 2005 amendment made to the Hindu Succession Act of 1956 will have a retrospective effect.

Consider the following :

1)The amendment was to confer equal status to sons and daughters of coparceners. Prior to this, coparcenary rights were granted only to sons of a coparcener.

2)A coparcener is one who acquires rights to their father’s property upon birth and can claim a partition of the coparcenary at any time.

3)This would be applicable subject to the condition the coparcenary property should not have been partitioned by the father prior to December 20, 2004. As long as the property remained coparcenary property and was not partitioned as of this date, a daughter can now claim interest in the same.

4) Different categories of persons in a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF):

One is the coparcener, on whom alone the verdict impacts. The second category is a member (wife), who is only entitled to maintenance and would not be granted any inheritance rights or the right to seek partition in the coparcenary.

5)Daughters will now be treated at par with sons of coparceners, and granted equal coparcenary rights in their father’s property upon birth.

6)Even their marital status would not affect the rights being conferred to them by way of the amendment — hence, they continue to be part of their father’s HUF post marriage and can seek a share and bequeath their HUF share under their Will to any beneficiary they choose.

7)The judgement only applies to HUF property, and does not affect personal or self-acquired assets held individually.

8)The ‘older’ business families may continue to hold some ancestral wealth in HUFs, but the scale and materiality of such holdings is usually limited.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 5,6,8

Ans: c

86) Arab countries – Israel :

Arab countries, including Egypt, Transjordan, Syria and Iraq, fought their first war with Israel in 1948 after the formation of the state of Israel was announced.

The war ended with Israel capturing more territories, including West Jerusalem, than what the UN Partition Plan originally proposed for a Jewish state.

After that, Israel and Arab states fought three more major wars — the 1956 Suez conflict, the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Consider the following :

1)After the 1967 war in which Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt, East Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan and the Golan Heights from Syria, Arab countries convened in Khartoum and declared their famous three “‘Nos’ — no peace with Israel, no talks with Israel and no recognition of Israel”.

2)But it did not last long. After the death of Egypt President Gamal Abdel Nasser, his successor Anwar Sadat started making plans to get Sinai back from Israel. His efforts, coupled with American pressure on Israel, led to the Camp David Accords of 1978. A year later, Israel and Egypt concluded their peace treaty, as part of which Israel withdrew from Sinai in return for Egyptian recognition.

3)In 1994, Jordan became the second Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel. In 1988, after an initial agreement reached between the two countries collapsed, Jordan abandoned its claims to the West Bank and said it would accept a deal between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel.

4)Following the Oslo Accords, under which the PLO recognised Israel and was allowed to form the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Gaza, time was ripe for an Israel-Jordan deal. The enmity between the two countries came to an end in July 1994 with the Washington Declaration on the White House lawn by Jordan’s King Hussein and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin under the watch of U.S. President Bill Clinton.

5)The UAE-Israel agreement comes after 26 years. If more countries in the Gulf follow the UAE’s lead, it would open a new chapter in Arab-Israel ties.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 4 and 5

Ans: c

87) Consider the following in connection with UAE-Israel agreement :

1)It was felt that if a Democratic President comes to power and restores the Iran deal, both the Israeli and the Arab blocs in West Asia would come under pressure to live with an empowered Iran in what President Obama called “cold peace”.

2)A formal agreement and enhanced security and economic ties make the Arab and Israeli sides better prepared to face such a situation. So there is a convergence of interests for the UAE, Israel and the U.S. to come together in the region.

3)The agreement could fast-track the changes that are already under way in the region.

4)The Saudi bloc, consisting of Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain and others, see their interests being aligned with that of the U.S. and Israel and their support for Palestine, which Arab powers had historically upheld, is dwindling, while Turkey and Iran emerge as the strongest supporters of the Palestinians .

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

88)

Fresh hurdles have emerged in the road to peace in Nagaland. After a framework agreement was signed in 2015 between the Centre and the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim, or the NSCN (I-M), the largest of the extremist groups in the peace process since 1997, there have been more than 100 rounds of talks and several twists and turns. The latest involves the demand by the NSCN (I-M) to remove Nagaland Governor (in 2020) as the Centre’s interlocutor for the 23-year-old peace process and his alleged tweaking of the original framework agreement.

Consider the following :

1)On August 3, 2015, the Centre signed a framework agreement with the NSCN (I-M) to resolve the Naga issue, but both sides maintained secrecy about its contents.

2)But States adjoining Nagaland, where the peace headquarters of NSCN (I-M) is located, are apprehensive of the sovereignty issue.

3)This is because of the NSCN (I-M)’s idea of Greater Nagalim — a homeland encompassing all Naga-inhabited areas in Nagaland and beyond. Apart from Myanmar, where many of more than 50 Naga tribes live, the Greater Nagalim map includes large swathes of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur.

4)But non-Naga groups are suspicious since the Tangkhul community, forming the core of the NSCN (I-M), is from Manipur and the outfit may not accept any agreement that excludes areas inhabited by them.

5)The NNPGs, whose members are primarily from Nagaland, are also a factor; their inputs for a final solution could be at variance with those of the NSCN (I-M).

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

89) ‘Sera’ or ‘serum’ contained some kind of ‘anti-toxin’ that appeared to protect guinea pigs re-exposed to lethal doses of the bacteria and toxin. It turned out that it was possible to ‘passively’ transfer the immunity in the guinea pigs to cure diphtheria in another sick animal by injecting it with that serum. Behring was conferred the first-ever Nobel Prize for Medicine “for his work on serum therapy, especially its application against diphtheria, by which he has opened a new road in the domain of medical science and thereby placed in the hands of the physician a victorious weapon against illness and deaths.”

Consider the following with reference to Serum Therapy :

1)While not always victorious, this was certainly a weapon that opened up an entire vista that was immunology.

2)The anti-toxins and the serum were portals to re-imagining the body as an eternal battleground between antibodies and antigens.

3)The cliche, of a ‘magic bullet’, had its origins here, and was coined by another Nobel Prize-winning pioneer of immunology, Paul Ehrlich, to describe ‘antibodies’ that originate in the bone marrow and are constantly traversing the body in search of a target, or it’s very own custom antigen.

4)The latter is the part of a foreign virus, bacteria or even another blood cell from another human being. Antibodies zoom in on antigens and, if they are the right match, click themselves snug like a key that’s found nirvana.

5)Antibodies, or immunoglobulins as they are formally called, are highly specific and bind only to their own specific antigens.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

90) Consider the following with reference to Immunoglobulins :

1)There are at least five kinds of immunoglobulins, and for every different disease — be it of viral or bacterial provenance — only some are helpful.

2)The right antibody-antigen combination works well for a patient. A healthy immune system mass produces these key-like antibodies, and they prevent more antigenic viral particles from being made.

3)They even facilitate a mass of other kinds of immune system cells — natural killer cells, macrophages, T cells — that can destroy and swallow whole residual infectious cells.

4)To close the deal, once an infection has been thoroughly plugged, there are even ‘memory B cells’ (a class of antibodies) that are formed. They loiter around on the lookout for a recurrent infection, and if fuond, the blight is nipped quickly and so thoroughly that you on the outside wouldn’t even feel sick.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3

Ans: c

91) )With reference to Mansar in Jammu & Kashmir , consider the following :

1) Mansar is of immense importance from Pilgrimage as well Heritage point of view beyond being the most scenic attraction due to vast Mansar Lake and its flora and fauna.

2) River Devika said to be the sister of mother Ganga, the Mansar lake finds reference in the ancient writings of Mahabharata.

3) Mansar Rejuvenation Plan will lead to employment generation of about 1.15 crore man-days and will generate more than Rs 800 crore of income per year.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

92)With reference to coal mines , consider the following :

1) Chakla : Jarkhand

2) Takli Jena Bellora North and Takli Jena Bellora South : Maharastra

3) Urtan : Madhya Pradesh

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

93)With reference to Mission Sagar - II , consider the following :

1) Mission Sagar-II, follows the first ‘Mission Sagar’ undertaken in May-June 2020, wherein India reached out to Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, and provided food aid and medicines. As part of Mission Sagar-II, Indian Naval Ship Airavat will deliver food aid to Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea.

2) Mission Sagar-II, is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region ‘SAGAR’ and highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with her maritime neighbours and further strengthens the existing bond. The Indian Navy is progressing this mission in close coordination with the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, and other agencies of the Government of India.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

94)With reference to Rice , consider the following :

1) Different forms of rice (magic, red, gora, and black) from various tribes of India have also been launched.

2) black rice, magic rice, from Assam

3) Gora rice from Jharkhand

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

95)

Sulphur is essential to maximizing plant growth and yield. As the fourth most important nutrient, Sulphur is also required for nitrogen use efficiency.

Consider the following :

1) After the Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potash (K), Sulphur (S) is the 4th major plant nutrient required and deficiency of sulphur is widespread in Indian Soils. It is required for crops like Oilseeds, Pulses, Vegetables, Sugarcane, Paddy, Horticulture crops etc.

2) Sulphur is replenished in soil mainly through Bentonite Sulphur and SSP.

3) While Bentonite Sulphur contains 90% Sulphur, Single Super Phosphate (SSP) contains 11% sulphur, 16% P2O5 and 21% Calcium

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

96)With reference to Agro-climate zones in India , consider the following :

1) Agro-climatic zone refers to a geographical area with similar soil type, rainfall, temperature, and water availability

2) .India is divided into 15 major agro-climatic zones, of which 10 zones that experience all monsoon events ranging from drought to floods have been covered by the NCAER study.

3) By prioritising areas which were rain-fed, and important for livestock-based interventions, a total of 173 districts were chosen for the survey.

4)Over 70 percent of all major crops grown in India were covered under the purview of the study. These include both kharif and rabi.

5) The National Monsoon Mission was launched by MoES in 2012 with an aim to develop a state-of-the-art, dynamic monsoon prediction system for short, medium, and long-range forecasts.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

97)With reference to Luhri project , consider the following :

1) 210 MW Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project located on river Satluj which is situated in Shimla &Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh. This project will generate 758.20 million units of electricity annually.

2) This project is being implemented by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) on Build-Own-Operate-Maintain (BOOM) basis with active support from Government of India and State Government

3) The MoU of this project was signed with the Govt. of Himachal Pradesh during Rising Himachal, Global Investor Meet,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

98)With reference to microplastics , consider the following :

1) These micro-plastics can act as carriers for contaminants like ions, toxic heavy metals such as Palladium, Chromium, and Cadmium, and organic compounds that are similarly hydrophobic in nature thus allowing them to conveniently cross over to the animal kingdom. When ingested, the health implications could be serious.

2) The paper cups are usually lined by a thin layer of hydrophobic film which is made of mostly plastic (polyethylene) and sometimes co-polymers to hold the liquid in the paper cup.

3) Within 15 minutes this micro-plastic layer degrades as a reaction to hot water, says the first of its kind study conducted in India

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

99)With reference to Climate Change , consider the following :

1) The private sector plays a pivotal role in creating low-carbon sustainable economies and has embarked on a number of voluntary actions on climate change that can contribute towards achieving India’s NDC goals.

2) The private sector also benefitted from India’s participation in Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol and going forward Article 6 of the Paris Agreement offers further opportunities for meeting the climate change and sustainable development objectives.

3) India is a signatory to the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. As part of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), India has three quantitative climate change goals viz. reduction in the emissions intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level, achieving about 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

100)With reference to Air Pollution , consider the following :

1) The Central Government is working towards abatement of Air Pollution by working at the source level, be itindustries orthermal power stations, vehicular pollution, construction and demolition waste or stubble burning, which are the major sources of pollution generation.

2) The Central Government will continue to strive hard to bring an end to the issue of Air pollution and encourages all possible technological interventions in this regard.

3) National Clean Air Programme has also been formulated to improve on the air quality in 122 cities across the country.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

Focus General Studies Paper Model Questions for UPSC Civil Services (Prelims),2026

Saturday, 25 September 2021

Civils Prelims 2021 Model Questions (for GS Paper ) Set No. 11 (prepared on 14.8.2021)

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