Focus General Studies Paper Model Questions for UPSC Civil Services (Prelims),2026 : Civils Prelims 2021 Model Questions (for GS Paper ) Set No. 28 {Prepared on 22 .9.2021

Civils Prelims 2021 Model Questions (for GS Paper )

Set No. 28 {Prepared on 22 .9.2021 } For Study purpose
Prepared by :P.Potayya Sarma

1)Consider the following with reference to Open Skies Policy :

1) India has a open skies policy with SAARC countries and those beyond the 5,000-km radius.

2) It implies that nations within this distance need to enter into a bilateral agreement and mutually determine the number of flights that their airlines can operate between the two countries.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

2)Consider the following with reference to 1291 Malabar rebellion :

1) As the controversy over the 1921 Malabar rebellion is raging, the accounts of the turbulent times chronicled by freedom fighter K.P. Kesava Menon a century ago bring to light the multifarious nature of the movement.

2)While Menon praised Moplahs for their enthusiasm to join the Khilafat movement and Congress committees during the pre-rebellion days, he also provided a critical account of the forced conversion of a Thiyya woman of Nilambur in the note, ‘Forced Conversion,’ ‘the Calicut Case,’ published on July 6, 1922.

3)His notes and an interview published were recently retrieved from the archives of the newspaper following a debate surrounding Variamkunnath Kunhamed Haji, the protagonist of the rebellion.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

3)Consider the following with reference to Draft Environment Impact Assessment notification :

1) No meaningful public consultation can take place amidst a pandemic and repeated lockdowns. Yet this did not stop the MoEFCC from pressing ahead with a June 30 deadline for feedback on its draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification. The Delhi High Court later extended the deadline to August 11,2020.

2) As per the draft, starting a project before obtaining environmental approvals will no longer be a violation, and it can be regularised post-facto. Public hearings are riddled with problems and their content routinely ignored while awarding clearances, but they remain the only opportunity of voice for project-affected peoples and environmental and social experts. Instead of strengthening them, the notification proposes to exempt a wider range of projects from hearings, including those which authorities can arbitrarily designate as ‘strategic’. The draft even allows for a class of projects to secure clearance without putting out any information in the public domain.

3)Despite demands from environmentalists, the draft notification says virtually nothing on improving monitoring, and compliance with clearance conditions and safeguards. Safeguarding the environment and front-line communities seems nowhere on the government’s agenda. Rather, its priorities are “unleashing coal”, as tweeted by the Coal Minister, and green clearances for “seamless economic growth”, as tweeted by the Environment Ministry in the lockdown weeks.

4)The sum effect of all the above moves will be further environmental degradation. It takes a steadfast commitment to ecological illiteracy to argue that wanton environmental destruction will deliver never-ending, seamless growth. These giant leaps backward will not make us atmanirbhar (self-reliant). Rather, they will further endanger habitats and lives, and intensify our vulnerability to infectious diseases and related socio-economic shocks.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

4)Consider the following with reference to :

It has always been cricket’s lot to stand for something beyond itself. Sportsmanship, for one. Integrity, for another. Fairmindedness, teamwork — it is an impressive list.

Now, as England take on the West Indies in a Test series, the game has more expectations being poured into it.

1)Firstly, as the start of the new normal in international sport. Somehow the ban on the use of saliva on the ball has garnered more attention than the fact that world-class sportsmen will be performing in an empty stadium. But the 74-page booklet has more do’s and don’ts than that. It will not be just fans who would be watching, but politicians, epidemiologists, doctors and administrators from other sports.

2)Secondly, in an atmosphere where many, especially politicians, have to be reminded that Black Lives Matter, and that racism has no place in the world, sport will be pushing us towards the ideal again.

3)This coming together of sport and politics is fortuitous, but not unusual. If all goes well, both will benefit. Sport, out of our lives for so long and racism, in our lives for so long, will both be in focus as they often are when the West Indies play in England.

4)It took the West Indies nearly four decades to rid themselves of the notion that only a white man could lead them in cricket. A campaign to make Sir Frank Worrell captain finally triumphed in 1960-61 and he was an instant success.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

5)Consider the following with reference to :

1) The Union Government is not considering extending the deadline for payment of Equalisation Levy by non-resident e-commerce players, even though a majority of them are yet to deposit the first installment of the tax

2)The 2% equalisation levy was introduced in the 2020-21 Budget and came into effect from April 1, 2020. The deadline for payment of the first installment for April-June is July 7. The tax would be levied on consideration received by e-commerce operators from online supply of goods or services.

3)The tax applies on e-commerce transactions on websites such as Amazon.com. Google in particular has been worried as the tax applies on advertising revenue earned overseas if those ads target customers in India.

4)The levy is seen aimed at taxing foreign companies which have a significant local client base in India but were billing them through their offshore units, effectively escaping the country’s tax system.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

6)Consider the following with reference to Kuma River :

1) Tens of thousands of Army troops, police and other rescue workers mobilised from around the country worked their way through mud and debris in the hardest-hit riverside towns along the Kuma River

2) Rescue operations have been hampered by the floodwater and harsh weather

3) Kuma River flows in Japan

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

7)Consider the following with reference to Ambarnaya river,Russia :

1) A national-level state of emergency was announced after 21,000 tonnes of diesel fuel spilled from a reservoir that collapsed in May outside the Arctic city of Norilsk, polluting huge stretches of river in remote tundra with bright red patches visible from space.

2)Environmental disaster: Emergency workers pumped out fuel after a massive diesel spill in Ambarnaya river.

3)Russia’s state environmental watchdog said that metals giant Norilsk Nickel should pay an unprecedented $2 billion in damages over a huge Arctic fuel spill.

4)Rosprirodnadzor said it had sent a request for “voluntary compensation” to a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel, NTEK, estimating the damage to Arctic subsoil and water resources at 147.8 billion rubles ($2.05 billion).

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

8)Consider the following :

Galwan and Shyok rivers are in spate due to the monsoon and it was not in the interest of both India and China to stay put there.

“The Chinese are now claiming the entire Galwan Valley but this was not the case earlier. They transgressed when they saw culverts, bridges and roads being constructed this side...culminating in the June 15 violent clashes,” said the official.

While the disengagement is underway, defence sources have expressed caution on the outcome. A second defence source cited three cases as reason for exercising extreme caution. The first instance is of Chinese claims on Galwan Valley. In 1959, China had agreed to area of Patrolling Point (PP) 14 and there has been no cases of faceoffs, no patrolling by China and very rare helicopter recce till recently,

“In April 2020, China started objecting to construction of a bridge at the mouth of the Galwan and now are claiming beyond earlier stance of 1959 stating entire Galwan belongs to China. As the events unfolded, PLA claim shifted to Nala junction which is 800m on the Indian side of China’s claim of 1959,” the source stated.

The other instance is of Naku La in North Sikkim where China is creating a dispute by disregarding “principle of watershed”. The third instance is of China pushing Nepal to not only make claims in Lipulekh area and publish new maps but also to deploy new border posts,

1)Finger 4 area of Pangong Tso

2) “Till that bend (PP 14), where the clash took place, India has built a road. The point where the Indian troops have retreated now is the point where the Army used to initiate its patrols. As per the moratorium, India will not be able to patrol the distance now and this will have to be seriously worked out. It cannot be turned into a permanent arrangement,”

3) The level of disengagement so far at Finger 4 is minuscule, considering the heavy buildup the Chinese have undertaken between Finger 4 to Finger 8

4) Chinese troops have fully moved out of the Patrolling Point (PP) 15 of the Hot Springs area in eastern Ladakh as part of the disengagement underway to reduce tensions on the border

5) At the Finger 4 area of Pangong Tso, some more people and vehicles have gone back

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

9)Consider the following with reference to vaccine development trials :

1)No process in vaccine developmment trials would be skipped.

2)However it was possible for different phases of the trial to be conducted in parallel. Generally, data from a Phase-1 trial — where a vaccine candidate is tested on few people to test if it’s safe — informs a Phase-2 trial, where it is again tested on new group of people to check whether it stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies.

3)It is based on this that companies progress to a Phase-3, where the vaccine is tested in thousands in real world settings, to evaluate if it is working.

4)Before each of these phases, usually, investigators must furnish data from the previous phase to regulators.

5)“No phase can be skipped but regulators can give approvals to two phases together,”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

10)Consider the following with reference to Himalayan butterfly :

1) A Himalayan butterfly named golden birdwing is now India’s largest, a record the southern birdwing held for 88 years.

2)With a wingspan of 194 mm, the female of the species is marginally larger than the southern birdwing (190 mm) that Brigadier William Harry Evans, a British military officer and lepidopterist, recorded in 1932. But the male golden birdwing (Troides aeacus) is much smaller at 106 mm.

3)The new measurements of this and 24 other species of butterflies were published in the latest issue of Bionotes, a quarterly newsletter for research on life forms.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

11)Consider the following with reference to Nine dash line ‘islands’ :

1)The Philippines invoked the dispute settlement mechanism of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 2013 to test the legality of China’s ‘nine-dash line’ regarding the disputed Spratlys.

2)In response, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague decreed in its July 12, 2016 judgment that the line had “no legal basis.” China dismissed the judgment as “null and void.”

3)The South China Sea (SCS) is important not just to its littoral countries. It has been a transit point for trade since early medieval times, contains abundantly rich fisheries, and is a repository of mineral deposits and hydrocarbon reserves.

4)The PCA award undermined the Chinese claim. It held that none of the features of the Spratlys qualified them as islands, and there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights and to the resources within the ‘nine-dash line’.

5)The UNCLOS provides that islands must sustain habitation and the capacity for non-extractive economic activity. Reefs and shoals that are unable to do so are considered low-tide elevations.

6)The award implied that China violated the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It noted that China had aggravated the situation by undertaking land reclamation and construction, and had harmed the environment and violated its obligation to preserve the ecosystem. China dismissed the award as “a political farce under the pretext of law.”

7)Nantua islands

8)Subic Bay,

9)Pag-Asa Island

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 China activities in East Ladakh :

1) Area, the clash site, and thinning down of troops is under way at Hot Springs and Gogra, which could take two or three days to complete.

2)Chinese troops to withdraw as promised on each of the three points discussed: Galwan, Hot Springs and Gogra.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

13)Consider the following with reference to Galwan Valley :

1) Indian troops have moved back 1.5 km from the site of the June 15 clash at the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, creating a buffer zone, which will be off-limits for foot patrolling by them for the next 30 days,

2)This is as per the agreement reached during the Corps Commander-level talks on June 30.

3)According to a defence source, the Chinese have fully moved out of the Patrol Point 14

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)“Localised lockdowns during the second wave kept economic activity from stalling to levels similar to those during 2020 (Q1 2020-21 real GDP growth: -24.4%), but disruption in several key business centres has slowed the recovery and dented our expectations of a rebound to pre-pandemic levels by 2021-22,” the agency said in a note on Indian banks.

2)“Our moderately worse 2021 outlook for Indian banks factors in muted prospects for new business due to our expectation of weak corporate and consumer confidence, banks' continuing high-risk aversion and below-trend credit demand,”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

15)Consider the following with reference to USA economy :

1) The International Monetary Fund on 7.7.2021 said further fiscal support in the United States could fuel inflationary pressures and warned that the risk of a sustained rise in prices could require raising interest rates earlier-than-expected.

2)Higher U.S. interest rates could lead to a sharp tightening of global financial conditions and significant capital outflows from emerging and developing economies, IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva said in a blog published

3)The IMF’s assessment of U.S. inflation risks comes amid sharp criticism by Republican lawmakers of President Joe Biden’s multi-trillion-dollar plans to boost spending on infrastructure, child care, community college tuition and expanded coverage of home care for the elderly and disabled.

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 Suez canal and m.v.Ever Given :

1) The m.v. Ever Given left the canal’s Great Bitter Lake, where it had been held for more than three months amid a financial dispute. The development came after its Japanese owner, Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd., reached a settlement with canal authorities over a compensation amount following weeks of negotiations and a court stand-off.

2)The settlement deal was signed in a ceremony in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, after which the vessel was seen sailing to the Mediterranean Sea. The company said the vessel would undergo a dive survey in Egypt’s Mediterranean city of Port Said, before resuming her voyage to the next port where her cargo will be discharged

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 migrant labourers case in Supreme Court of India :

The Supreme Court on June 29,2021 pronounced its judgment in the migrant labourers case. The case was initiated last year after the national lockdown was announced on March 24. Thousands of landless labourers had started walking towards their home States due to the loss of employment and income. The Supreme Court took cognisance of the matter on May 26 that year and acknowledged the plight of the workers in light of the strict lockdown.

The court has laid down numerous guidelines to provide relief to workers and efficiently tackle the problem till the threat of COVID-19 subsides.

1)Two of the most important components to protect the migrants during this time were the food and travel arrangements insisted on by the court. In the orders pronounced in May this year, it laid down that dry ration be provided to migrants who want to return to their homes.

2)Further, the court said that identity proof should not be insisted upon by the governments since the labourers might not be able to furnish it.

3)Secondly, the court called upon the State governments to arrange transportation for workers who need to return to their homes. These guidelines by the court are crucial to ensure the safety of workers.

4)The Supreme Court fixed July 31,2021 as the deadline for the States to implement the ‘One nation One Ration Card’ scheme. Under this scheme, the States are to complete the registration of migrant workers in order to provide dry ration to them. But it is unlikely that a standardised system can be developed within the deadline prescribed by the court.

5)Apart from dry ration, the top court also directed the State governments to run community kitchens for migrant workers. However, there arise administrative problems in implementing these measures. First, migrant workers keep moving in search of employment and it is difficult to cover them all under the scheme. Second, many States do not have the necessary infrastructure to run and maintain community kitchens on such a large scale.

6)Under the National Food Security Act, migrant workers are issued ration cards and they are entitled to dry ration under various government programmes, such as the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme, during the pandemic.

7) In the order passed on June 29, the court affirmed the Right to Food under Article 21 of the Constitution. In furtherance of this, the court asked the States to formulate their own schemes and issue food grains to migrants. This is an indispensable step to keep more than a fourth of the population of the country safe and healthy during the pandemic.

However, there are no normative data that would allow the States to identify eligible migrants.

8)The court took cognisance of the issue and directed the Ministry of Labour and Employment to ensure that the National Database for Unorganised Workers is updated by July 31.

9)Finally, the top court recognised the need for direct cash benefit transfer to workers in the unorganised sector. But it did not issue any guidelines for the same as the workers need to be covered by the States themselves.

10)The Supreme Court has given a purposive declaration in the case but the bulk of the judgment seems declaratory rather than mandatory. In order to efficaciously implement the orders of the court, the State governments need to work with the Centre closely. With the third wave of COVID-19 infections looming, it is imperative to ensure that government machinery works to its full potential and robust systems are developed to withstand the challenges.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

18)Consider the following ‘effect of population momentum’ :

1)India’s population growth is now stabilising.

2)The decline in overall fertility notwithstanding, the population will continue to grow because of the effect of ‘population momentum’. It is like a Jumbo Jet that has started to descend but will take some distance to stop.

3) The Total Fertility Rate (TFR), presently at 2.2 children, will soon reach replacement level (2.1). However, the TFR remains higher than the national average of 2.2 children among women who live in rural areas, have little formal education and are in the lowest income quintile — a majority of them live in the poorer States.

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 sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Success is hard-earned and never assured. There are many challenges on the path to 2030, the goalpost for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

1)Two million adolescent girls (15-19 years) each year had a pregnancy, and of these, nearly 63% were unwanted or unintended (Guttmacher Institute, 2021). This points to inadequate information and access to SRH services for this age group. In girls aged 15-19 years, 22.2% had an unmet need for contraception, according to NFHS-4.

2)Girls are still marrying too young — 26.8% of women aged 20-24 years are married before they turn 18, often having their first child within the first year of marriage.

3)Far too many girls and women face gender-based violence and harmful practices that are socially sanctioned. All of these practices are rooted in social norms, beliefs and practices that deny women their bodily autonomy.

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 Demographic sweet spot :

In these troubled times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Population Day on July 11,2021 brings some positive news —

1)India has entered a demographic sweet spot that will continue for another two to three decades. Half of India’s population is under 29 years of age, which means that in this period, a greater proportion of young people will drive India’s economic growth and social progress.

2)So, they must not only be healthy, knowledgeable and skilled but must also be provided with the rights and choices to develop to their fullest potential, including, and especially, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

3)The Guttmacher–Lancet Commission in looking at how to improve SRHR in populations formulated a comprehensive definition of SRHR that encompasses a broader range of issues.

4) These include SRHR and issues such as violence, stigma and respect for bodily autonomy, which greatly impact the psychological, emotional and social well-being of individuals.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

21)Consider the following with reference to NIPUN Bharat :

1)NIPUN Bharat aims to cover the learning needs of children in the age group of 3 to 9 years.

2) Teachers need to focus on every child for developing basic language; literacy and numeracy skills which will help them develop into better readers and writers. Thus, NIPUN Bharat envisages making the experience of learning at the foundational stage Holistic, Integrated, Inclusive, Enjoyable, and Engaging

3)It is underlined that the National Education Policy 2020 has laid down that attaining foundational literacy and numeracy for all children must become an immediate national mission. In keeping with this, the Department has developed a comprehensive guideline under NIPUN Bharat, through a series of intensive consultations with implementing partners, experts to make it flexible and collaborative,.

4)It is said that it covers key technical aspects of foundational literacy and numeracy as well as the administrative aspects for effectively setting up an implementation mechanism at the National, State, District, Block and School level. He also informed that an approval of Rs 2688.18 crore has already been given under Samagra Shiksha scheme to the States and UTs for implementation of the various interventions for Foundational Stage in 2021-22.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

22)Consider the following :

1)Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tabar, the Navy’s Talwar-class Russian built frigate, has just concluded a two-day naval exercise with the Italian Navy in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

2)Labelled “Maritime Partnership Exercise”, INS Tabar participated in the military exercises with along with a front line frigate of the Italian Navy, the ITS Antonio Marceglia

3) The Mediterranean Sea has 12 marginal seas, covering a total area of about 2.5 million square kilometers.

4)The Tyrrhenian Sea is the Mediterranean Sea’s third-largest marginal sea, located along the western coast of mainland Italy. It covers an area of approximately 275,000 square kilometers and has four exits, including two to the Mediterranean Sea proper and one each to the Ionian Sea and the Ligurian Sea. The sea has played important economic and cultural roles throughout history, particularly facilitating trade between Africa, Asia, and Europe. Today, it is one of the most important trade routes in the Atlantic Ocean.

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 with reference to Maguri Motapung Beel :

1)The Maguri Motapung Beel, a wetland, was the most impacted of all the ecosystems.

2)Almost 70 per cent of the earthworms in the Maguri grasslands and condensate affected areas are estimated to be dead, because of blow out.

3)The waterbodies and impinging grasslands are home to several flora and fauna, including the wild buffalo, the barking deer, and a variety of avifauna. Birdlife International, a global partnership of non-governmental organisations, has recognised the wetland as an Important Bird Area in Assam

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

24)Consider the following with reference to Dibru-Saikhowa National Park :

1)Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Biosphere Reserve spread over 350 to 650 km to the north, northeast and northwest of the blowout. (natural gas well of Oil India Limited (OIL) at Baghjan in Assam’s Tinsukia district)

2)The nearest point of the park lies within 900 m of the blowout ground zero.

3)In between the park and the blowout area lies the Lohit branch of the mighty Brahmaputra that has a confluence with Dangori river and later Dibru river, largely known as Dibru or even Dangori river.

4)Dibru or Dangori river starts from Sadia Dhola bridge on the upper reaches to the Bogiebeel on the downstream forms a rich habitat of the Gangetic river dolphins

5) The Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is also famous for feral horses.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

25)Consider the following with reference to the Bherjan-Borajan and Podumoni Wildlife Sanctuary:

1). Bherjan, being closest, is at a distance of 6 km from the ground zero and lies to the south of the Motapung Maguri Beel,

2)Podumoni is at a distance of 8 km to the west of the blowout site.

3)These areas are rich habitats of butterflies and there were resident troops of hoolock gibbons (the only ape found in India) in the past. The gibbons also have now a broken habitat, and a few [were] found outside the sanctuary areas (other than Borajan).

4)While Borajan still supports hoolock gibbon populations, one such known location outside the protected area, but very close to the blowout site, where troops of hoolock gibbons, numbering 19 individuals, have been residing for long is Barekuri Gaon panchayat falling within 2-3 km south of the blowout site.” (natural gas well of Oil India Limited (OIL) at Baghjan in Assam’s Tinsukia district)

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

26)Consider the following with reference to natural gas well of Oil India Limited (OIL) at Baghjan in Assam’s Tinsukia district :

1)A blowout, explosion and fire lasting more than five months, from May 27 to November 15, 2020, in the natural gas well of Oil India Limited (OIL) at Baghjan in Assam’s Tinsukia district has resulted in the loss of an estimated 55 per cent of the biodiversity in the affected Dibru-Saikhowa landscape.

2)As many as 1,632 hectares of wetland, 523 ha of grassland, 172 ha of area covering rivers and streams, and 213 ha of forest were damaged to varying degrees.

3)Three animals listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and more than 29,000 scheduled and unscheduled wild animals and organisms also perished in it.

4)The blowout, explosion and fire directly impacted 40 animals belonging to different classes/order, genera, families and species listed in different Schedules of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Habitats of these animals and their young ones were disturbed and larvae, eggs and nests were damaged. The actual visual count of dead animals listed in all the Schedules was found to be 91. This includes a Gangetic river dolphin and two hoolock gibbons listed in Schedule I.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

27)Consider the following with reference to APMC Act :

1) NABARD welcomes the Centre’s move of setting the tone for reforming agricultural marketing

2) Very few States have initiated reforms in the APMC Act, which will encourage private sector investment in marketing.

3)The amendments to enable setting up of private marketing have been approved by 18 States and rules have been notified by 10 States.

4)Officials are ready support private markets by creating a separate fund, if marketing reforms to enable private markets and e-trading are introduced, as these help farmers in better price discovery.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

28)Consider the following with reference to FPOs :

1)FPOs have started taking shape and 80-90% are members with small landholdings.

2)About 7,000 FPOs exist in the country.

3)Social capital building, availability of professional manpower in rural areas and collateral-free credit support on affordable terms are major challenges in promoting FPOs.

4)NABKISAN Finance Ltd. extended collateral free loans of ₹250 crore to 550 FPOs. Over 50 FPOs were given loans during the lockdown

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

29)Consider the following with reference to :

1) PM-CARES fund, set up in March in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Prime Minister’s Office, transparent and accountable. The party said the money collected with the fund should be immediately transferred to State governments.

2)The fund doesn’t come under the ambit of the Right to Information Act because it has been set up as a private trust. But it has the Prime Minister as the Chair and Ministers of Defence, Home Affairs and Finance as trustees. For the same reason, it is beyond the purview of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

30)Consider the following with reference to Doklam plateau :

1) disengagement brought an end to hostilities between India and China over China’s attempt to build a road near the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction area, transgressing into Bhutanese territory,

2) It did not stop the PLA’s construction work right across the Doklam plateau

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

31)Consider the following with reference to OPEC+ with Russia and others :

1) Ministers from OPEC+, which groups producers from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) with Russia and others, abandoned talks as negotiations failed to close divisions within the group.

2)Oil prices climbed to multi-year highs on 6.7.2021 after OPEC+ producers clashed over plans to raise supply to meet rising global demand.

3)Brent crude hit a session high of $77.84, a level not seen since October 2018, before losing momentum and easing to trade 25 cents, or 0.3% lower, at $76.91 a barrel by 1149 GMT.

4)U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures traded up 75 cents, or 1%, at $76.91, after reaching $76.98 earlier in the session, the highest since November 2014.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

32)Consider the following with reference to Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (on Upper Blue Nile river) :

1) Ethiopia has started the second phase of filling a mega-dam’s reservoir on the upper Blue Nile, said Egypt and Sudan, raising tensions ahead of an upcoming UN Security Council meeting on the issue.

2)Both Cairo and Khartoum said they had been notified by Addis Ababa that the second phase of filling had begun at the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

33)Consider the following with reference to Kamchatka,Russia :

1) Wreckage from a plane that went missing on 6.7.2021 in Russia’s Far East region of Kamchatka was found around 5 km (three miles) away from a runway at an airport on the coast where it was supposed to land .

2)An Antonov An-26 plane with 22 passengers and six crew members, flying from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the town of Palana on the Okhotsk Sea coast, missed a scheduled communication and disappeared from radar as it was on approach for landing.

3) The Kamchatka Peninsula is a 1,250-kilometre-long peninsula in the Russian Far East, with an area of about 270,000 km². The Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk make up the peninsula's eastern and western coastlines,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

34)Consider the following with reference to Afghanistan :

1) The U.S. left Afghanistan’s Bagram Airfield after nearly 20 years by shutting off the electricity and slipping away in the night without notifying the base’s new Afghan commander, who discovered the Americans’ departure more than two hours after they left,

2)Afghanistan’s army showed off the sprawling airbase , providing a first glimpse of what had been the epicentre of America’s war to unseat the Taliban and hunt down the al-Qaeda perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks on America.

3)The U.S. announced in first week of July, 2021 it had vacated its biggest airfield in the country in advance of a final withdrawal the Pentagon says will be completed by the end of August,2021

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 with reference to Galwan valley :

1)The July 2019 call came amid a period of India and China trying to repair relations following the 2017 border stand-off in Doklam.(India-China-Bhutan tri-junction)

2) Mr. Modi travelled to China for an “informal summit” with President Xi Jinping in April 2018

3)Mr. Xi travelled to Mamallapuram for another in October 2019.

4)That process of repairing the ties was derailed with the May 2020 border crisis along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the June 15, 2020, clashes in Galwan Valley, marking the worst violence on the border since 1967.

5)The LAC crisis remains unresolved, and talks to restore the status quo appear deadlocked. India made clear to China that relations cannot be returned to normal unless there is full disengagement and de-escalation along the border.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

36)Consider the following with reference to Karaikal-Jaffna Ferry Service :

1) The proposed Karaikal-Jaffna Ferry Service, a component of the Sagarmala Programme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways for the promotion of coastal shipping, has been given a thrust by the Indian and Sri Lankan governments.

2) Recently, Deputy High Commissioner, Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission, Chennai, visited the MARG Port here to determine the facilities for the ferry service, covering a distance of 56 nautical miles. He held discussions with the Karaikal Collector

3) Vice-president of port operations, MARG Karaikal Port, said the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner inspected the facilities for start of the service.

4)Karaikal (Puducherry) and Jaffna (Sri Lanka)

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 with reference to Union Council of Ministers :

1) While it was a fairly extensive rejig in terms of Raj Bhavans, informed sources said the Cabinet rejig would be extensive as well. The Council of Ministers has around 28 vacancies, with only 53 of the 81 slots(i.e., ministers) allowed under the Constitution occupied.

2)Government sources said that as many as 20 new faces would be included, and in total, around 24 Ministers belonging to the Other Backward Classes would find representation in the Council of Ministers at the end of this exercise.

3)“Among these new faces will be very young MPs, bringing down the average age of the Council of Ministers to probably its lowest since Independence,”

4)Sources said equal focus would be on the professional qualifications of Ministers as well as community representation issues

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

38)Consider the following with reference to Govrnors : States :

1)Former MP and former BJP president of the erstwhile combined State of Andhra Pradesh K. Hari Babu was appointed the Governor of Mizoram,

2) Senior BJP leader and former Tribal Affairs Minister in Gujarat Mangubhai Patel was named the Governor of Madhya Pradesh.

3)Former Speaker of the Goa Assembly Rajendra Arlekar will be the Governor of Himachal Pradesh.

4)Former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya has been transferred from Himachal Pradesh to Haryana,

5)senior BJP leader : has been transferred from Chhattisgarh Ramesh Bais from Tripura to Jharkhand,

6)Satyadev Arya : has been transferred from Haryana to Tripura, and

7) P.S. Sreedharan Pillai: has been transferred from Mizoram to Goa

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

39)Consider the following with reference to create separate Ministry of Cooperation :

1) The Central government has also decided to create a separate ‘Ministry of Cooperation’ with the aim of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ (prosperity through cooperatives).

2)The Ministry will provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country.

3)It will “work to streamline the processes for ease of doing business for cooperatives and enable development of multi-State cooperative societies.”

4)It will help deepen Co-operatives as a true people based movement reaching upto the grassroots.

5)In our country, a Co-operative based economic development model is very relevant where each member works with a spirit of responsibility.

6)The Central Government has signaled its deep commitment to community based developmental partnership. Creation of a separate Ministry for Co-operation also fulfils the budget announcement made by the Finance Minister.

7)’Cooperation’ is a state subject (Constitution of India)

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

40)Consider the following with reference to internal migrant workers :

1)Internal migrant workers constitute about 13.9 crore as in the Economic Survey of 2017, that is nearly a third of India’s labour force.

2)They travel across India in search of an economic livelihood, in the construction sector, as domestic work, in brick kilns, mines, transportation, security, agriculture, etc.

3)Many never intend to settle down and wish to return to their native villages and towns once their work is completed or the working season ends.

4)Often they toil in exploitative low-wage jobs, lacking identity and proper living conditions, without access to welfare and unable to exercise their voting rights.

5)Migrant workers become quasi-disenfranchised, forgotten voters because they cannot afford to return home on election day to choose their representatives.

6)The callous attitude toward the plight of migrants exhibited by some State governments leads to the conclusion that this group does not constitute a vote bank worthy of attention.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

41)Consider the following :

1)With his visit to Nimu near Leh, which houses the XIV Corps headquarters including the base hospital, Prime Minister accomplished several objectives.

2)He visited soldiers injured during the Galwan clash of June 15,2020 addressed troops involved in the stand-off with China, and was briefed directly by senior officers involved in operational preparedness who are also conducting military talks with China’s People’s Liberation Army.

3)In his speech to soldiers at Nimu, he addressed different audiences as well, with the biggest message for the Chinese leadership, where he said that the age of expansionism is over.

4)Calling this the “era of evolution” or development (Vikasvaad), Mr. Modi said that the “era of colonial expansion” (Vistaarvaad) is over. He said that in the past, expansionist forces have done great harm to humanity, and had been “erased or forced to relent”. The message to Beijing was this: it must not engage in territorial aggression across its boundaries with countries from Central Asia to the South China Sea, including India, and it must also recall its own anger against imperialism, that so many in the PRC’s leadership have decried. Despite the fact that he did not once name China, the message appeared

5)Despite the fact that he did not once name China, the message appeared to have hit home, with the Chinese Embassy in Delhi issuing a denial that it had made any expansionist moves.

6)The Prime Minister also addressed other countries that are viewing the growing seriousness of the two-month long stand-off with concern, as he spoke about India’s tradition of peace with bravery, indicating that diplomatic options would be exhausted before any action. To his domestic audience, the address signified the government’s determination to face the challenge at the Line of Actual Control and to focus on national priorities of infrastructure and economic development

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

42)Consider the following with reference to Nagari river :

1)Lava and Kusa rivers are tributaries of the Nagari river that originates in Andhra Pradesh.

2)Of the 17-km-long Kusa, about 4 km flows within Tamil Nadu limits.

3)Both rivers join near Pallipet to become the Nagari and flow for 69 km till the Poondi reservoir.

4)The reservoir mainly gets its inflow from these waterways apart from the Kosasthalaiyar.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

43)Consider the following with reference to :

1) Sakteng wildlife sanctuary in eastern Bhutan :

2)China raising a dispute on this issue

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

44)Consider the following with reference to Olympic Games,2020 (held in Japan,2021) :

1) Boxer M.C. Mary Kom and men’s hockey team skipper Manpreet Singh will be flagbearers for India at the opening ceremony of Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to get underway on July 23 .2021

2)Wrestler Bajrang Punia will be the flagbearer at the closing ceremony on August 8.

3)The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has communicated the decision in this regard to the Organising Committee of the Games.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

45)Consider the following with reference to IN-SPACe :

1) Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), a newly created regulatory body,

2) It has received at least 26 applications from Indian and foreign firms that include proposals to set up ground stations and make and launch satellites.(July,2021)

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

46)Consider the following with reference to Section 66A of the Information Technology (IT) Act :

1) The Supreme Court found it “distressing”, “shocking” and “terrible” that people were still booked and tried under Section 66A of the Information Technology (IT) Act even six years after it struck down the provision as unconstitutional and a violation of free speech.

2)Section 66A had prescribed three years’ imprisonment if a social media message caused “annoyance” or was found “grossly offensive”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

47)Consider the following with reference to Muttukadu backwaters :

1)Muttukadu backwaters is part of the 105-km long south Buckingham Canal that runs between Kotturpuram and Marakkanam.

2)Of this, the stretch along Rajiv Gandhi Salai has been affected after the areas en route have been heavily urbanised over the past two decades.

3)Like many other waterways, the backwaters has also become vulnerable to dumping of raw sewage and waste generated in areas falling under local bodies.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

48)Consider the following with reference to Green Passport / EU Digital COVID Certificae (EUDCC) :

1)On July 1,2021 the European Union implemented the EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC) or the “Green Passport”, which allows ease of intra-European travel for passengers who have taken one of four vaccines ‘recognised’ by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) .

2)The move led to a sharp protest from India, as well as the African Union, as concerns grow over vaccine passports that discriminate against travellers from developing countries with limited access to vaccines.

3)Some European countries have since relented, with a third of the 27-nation EU agreeing to include Covishield in the list of approved vaccines.

4) External Affairs Minister of India took up the exclusion strongly with EU authorities, particularly the case of Covishield, which is made under licensing and certification from AstraZeneca, and cleared by WHO.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

49)Consider the following with reference to Afghanistan :

1) On July 2,2021 U.S. troops departed from the Bagram Air Base that coordinated the 20-year-long war in Afghanistan, effectively ending their military operations in the country.

2)The exit is part of President Joe Biden’s plan to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan. Ever since the remaining U.S. troops began pulling out on May 1, the Taliban have made rapid territorial advances.

3)If the Taliban had controlled 73 of Afghanistan’s 407 districts before May 1, the number of districts went up to 168 in two months

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

50)Consider the following with reference to ‘malaria-free’ :

1) The World Health Organization (WHO) declaring that China was “malaria-free” followed a seven decade-long, multi-pronged health strategy that was able to entirely eliminate indigenous cases for four straight years, health experts said.

2)The “malaria-free” certification from the WHO followed a visit in May from an independent panel to verify China’s malaria-free status, which requires four consecutive years of reporting no local cases.

3)The number of malaria cases worldwide in 2019 was around 229 million, according to the World Malaria Report in 2020, with 409,000 lives lost to the mosquito-borne disease. The 2020 report said the majority of cases were reported in Africa, while India and Southeast Asia recorded a significant drop. Cases in India fell from approximately 20 million to 6 million, according to the 2020 report.

4)The WHO said China is the first country in the Western Pacific region to be declared malaria-free in more than 30 years, following Australia in 1981, Singapore in 1982 and Brunei in 1987.

5)Takeshi Kasai, Regional Director of the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, attributed its success to “strong political commitment and strengthening national health systems” allowing it to “eliminate a disease that once was a major public health problem”.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

51)Consider the following with reference to National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat). :

1)The Centre’s new mission ensures that every Class 3 child has foundational literacy and numeracy within five years .

2)Although the National Education Policy had included a 2025 deadline to achieve the goal, the Centre has pushed back the target date to 2026-27, given that COVID-19 has already disrupted two academic years.

3)The School Education Department says no additional funding is being allocated for the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat). Instead, money is being allocated from the flagship Samagra Shiksha scheme, which actually saw a 20% drop in its budget this year

4)“The vision of NIPUN Bharat Mission is to create an enabling environment to ensure universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy, so that every child achieves the desired learning competencies in reading, writing and numeracy by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27,” said an Education Ministry statement, adding that a five-tier implementation mechanism will be set up at the national, State, district, block and school levels.

5)NIPUN Bharat is likely to emphasise goal setting and accountability for State governments, and provide guidelines for teacher training, assessment and the creation of printed resources, according to people who helped develop the mission.

6)“It will be funded through Samagra Shiksha itself,” said a senior official of the School Education Department, confirming that there is no additional allocation being made.

7)“Samagra Shiksha is an umbrella scheme, and this year it has been revised.

8)According to that revision, a provision has been kept for FLN (foundational literacy and numeracy),” added the official. For 2021-22, the budget estimate for Samagra Shiksha was ₹31,050 crore, a 20% drop from the previous year’s estimate of ₹38,750 crore, although the revised estimate for 2020-21 was just ₹27,957 crore, with poor utilisation due to COVID-19 disruptions

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

52)Consider the following with reference to Pulse Oximeter and Oxygen Concentrator :

1) “In order to keep a check on the price rise of critical medical equipment, NPPA, in exercise of powers conferred under DPCO, 2013, has called for price-related data from manufacturers/importers of Pulse Oximeter and Oxygen Concentrator to ensure that prices existing as on 1st April, 2020 should not be increased more than 10% in a year,”

2)All the medical devices have been notified as drugs and have come under the regulatory regime of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, with effect from April 1.

3)A stakeholders consultation with medical devices industry associations and civil society groups was held by the NPPA on July 1 wherein it was stressed that all the manufacturers and importers of critical medical equipment shall ensure sufficient availability of the same. “It has been reiterated that all the medical devices have come under price regulation”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

53)Consider the following with reference to UNCLOS :

1) India is bound by the award of the arbitral tribunal formed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The award is “final and without appeal,” as India is a party to the U.N. Convention.(Context: Italian mariners)

2) the government’s decision to accept the tribunal decision was a correct move, in tune with Article 51(c) and (d) of the Constitution.

3)“The state needs to foster respect for international law and treaty obligations and encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.

4)The award is a substantial victory for India inasmuch as concurrent jurisdiction was recognised, but immunity clause was applied to take the trial out of India. Compensation claim was allowed and the counter claim for compensation by Italy was denied.”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

54)Consider the following with reference to Nagarhole National Park :

1) Forest Department will soon put in place traffic monitoring mechanism along the roads adjacent to Nagarahole National Park and criss-crossing Mysuru and Kodagu districts to ensure better compliance of forest laws by motorists and to minimise road kills.

2) A portion of the road also connects the highway linking Mysuru and Tellicherry in Kerala and hence the high vehicle movement.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

55)Consider the following with reference to rural women labourers :

1) According to national labour force surveys, a quarter of adult rural women were in the labour force (or counted as “workers” in official data) in 2017-18. If we examine data from time-use surveys, that is, surveys that collect information on all activities undertaken during a fixed time period (usually 24 hours), the picture changes radically.

2)A survey by the Azim Premji University, of 5,000 workers across 12 States — of whom 52% were women workers — found that women workers were worse off than men during the lockdown.

3)Among rural casual workers, for example, 71% of women lost their jobs after the lockdown; the figure was 59% for men. Data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) also suggest that job losses in April 2020, as compared to April 2019, were larger for rural women than men.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

56)Consider the following with reference to digital divide in India’s school education system /Hybrid learning :

1)The digital divide in India’s school education system, reflected by the absence of computers and Internet access on campus, emerges starkly from the Education Ministry’s Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), for the pre-pandemic year of 2019-20.

2)Physical infrastructure has traditionally meant good buildings, playgrounds, libraries and access to water and toilets, but the advent of hybrid learning even ahead of the coronavirus crisis has made essential online access and computers key adjuncts to make the learning process more engaging

3)The latest data confirm that a mere 22% of schools across the country on average had Internet access, while government institutions fared much worse at 11%. On the second metric of functional computer access, the national average was 37% and for government schools, 28.5%.

4)Beyond the averages, the range of deficits reflects deep asymmetries: 87.84% of Kerala schools and 85.69% in Delhi had an Internet facility, compared to 6.46% in Odisha, 8.5% in Bihar, 10% in West Bengal and 13.62% in Uttar Pradesh.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

57)Consider the following :

1)India’s concerns about China are grounded in reality. Other nations today have, however, begun expressing concern about the threat posed by China to the existing world order. During earlier months, both the G-7 and North Atlantic Treaty Organization, have criticised China for its military ambitions and the threat it posed to world peace.

2)An accumulation of problems does produce in closed societies (such as China) a ‘pressure cooker’ syndrome, where the safety valve is often in the hands of the leadership.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

58)Consider the following :

1) The right to practise religion is certainly subservient to the right to life

2)when the right to life is threatened, the right to practise religion can take a back seat, the Madras High Court said

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

59)Consider the following with reference to Vembanad Lake :

1) The waters of the Vembanad lake are stirring once again. A robust vaccination drive underway has raised hopes of the Kerala houseboat industry to open for business as early as July.

2)Last year’s SOPs — temperature checks, mandatory masking, sanitising boats and complete guest details on COVID-19 Jagratha Portal — which kicked in during two weeks of operations in December and January, will be invoked again.

3)“The houseboat is like a bubble offering a secluded, sanitised and safe space, which makes it an attractive holiday option during a pandemic”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

60)Consider the following with reference to :

1) As “vocal for local” gains currency, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is pushing Agra’s shoe manufacturers to try khadi as an alternative to natural and synthetic leather.

2)“You can’t completely replace leather but in a world which is increasingly becoming conscious of ethical shopping, khadi is a functional option we can work with,” said, chairman, Agra Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Chamber.

3) “Right now, many creative people stay away because we are dealing with leather”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

61)Consider the following with reference to Botswana’s famed Okavango Delta :

1) Hundreds of elephants have died mysteriously in Botswana’s famed Okavango Delta, the head of the wildlife department said, ruling out poaching as the tusks were found intact.

2)The landlocked southern African country has the world’s largest elephant population, estimated to be around 130,000.

3)“We have had a report of 356 dead elephants in the area north of the Okavango Delta and we have confirmed 275 so far”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

62)Consider the following with reference to :

1) The Railways invited Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for operation of passenger trains by private operators on 109 routes with 151 modern trains. This project is expected to attract ₹30,000 crore in private investment.

2) Railways was running 2,800 mail and express trains, and 151 modern trains — for which the RFQ was invited — accounted for only 5% of them. “95% of trains will still be run by Indian Railways,”

3)The statement comes amid concerns raised by Opposition parties over the privatisation.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

63)Consider the following :

1) The Union government has directed all States/UTs to ramp up testing in a big way by using the Rapid Antigen Point-of-Care test in addition to RT-PCR, which is the gold standard for diagnosis of COVlD-19. “

2) Rapid antigen test is quick, simple, safe and can be used in containment zones as well as hospitals, as per criteria specified by ICMR for testing,”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

64)Consider the following with reference to :

1) Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology termed the banning of 59 Chinese apps by the government as “digital strike.”

2) It is said that India wanted peace but was capable of giving a befitting reply to anyone casting an evil eye on it.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

65)Consider the following with reference to CZA :

1)The Environment Ministry has reconstituted the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to include an expert from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, and a molecular biologist.

2)The CZA is a statutory body chaired by the Environment Minister and tasked with regulating zoos across the country.

3)The authority lays down guidelines and prescribes rules under which animals may be transferred among zoos nationally and internationally.

4)Apart from the chairman, it consists of 10 members and a member-secretary. Almost all of them are officials in the Environment Ministry and non-government experts are those who are wildlife conservationists or retired forest officers.

5)In the new dispensation, that came into effect, senior journalist and environmentalist, continues to be part of the new list of members.

6)New faces include the Director, School of Planning and Architecture, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), .

7)From June 1,2020 the CZA has allowed zoos to take a call on opening them to visitors.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

66)Consider the following with reference to Digital India :

1)Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said India has shown both passion for innovation and ability to adopt those innovations rapidly.

2)Digital India is the resolve of India. Digital India is the instrument for AatmaNirbhar Bharat. Digital India is a manifestation of a strong Indian that is emerging in the 21st Century.

3)The Prime Minister evoked his mantra of Minimum Government – Maximum Governance and explained how Digital India is empowering the common citizen by reducing the gap between government and people, system and facilities, problems and solutions.

4)He gave an example of how Digilocker helped millions of people especially during the pandemic. School certificates, medical documents and other important certificates were stored digitally across the nation.

5)He said the services like getting a driving license, birth certificate, paying electricity bill, paying water bill, filing income tax return, etc have become fast and convenient and, in villages, e Common Service Centres (CSCs) are helping the people.

6)It is through Digital India, initiatives like One Nation One Ration Card are realized.

7)He commended the Supreme Court for asking all the states to implement the initiative in the respective states.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

67)Consider the following :

1) PMFBY was launched in 2016 under the leadership of PM and his vision to provide financial security to the farmers of India from vagaries of nature and secure their hard work. The scheme has insured over 29.16 crore farmer applications (5.5 crore farmer applications on year-on-year basis). Over the period of 5 years, more than 8.3 crore farmer applications have benefited from the scheme. Moreover, Rs.95,000 crores claims have been paid as against Rs. 20,000 crore farmers share.

2)State governments and insurance companies have an important role in the implementation of PMFBY. The result of their hard work is that in the last 4 years, premium amounting to Rs 17 thousand crores was deposited by the farmers, against which more than Rs 95 thousand crores have been provided to them as claims. It is further added that there is a need to expand the scheme in the country, so that its coverage can be increased and more farmers get benefits.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

68)Consider the following with reference to ECLGS :

1) The Finance Ministry said banks have sanctioned more than ₹1 lakh-crore loans under the ₹3-lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for the MSME sector reeling under COVID-19-induced economic slowdown.

2)As much as ₹45,860 crore was disbursed under the 100% ECLGS for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) till June 26, it said.

3)The scheme is the biggest fiscal component of the ₹20-lakh crore ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ package announced by Finance Minister .

4)The latest number on ECLGS, as released by the Finance Ministry, comprises all the 12 public sector banks (PSBs), 20 private sector banks and eight NBFCs.

5)“Under the 100 per cent ECLGS backed by a government guarantee, banks from public and private sectors have sanctioned loans worth over Rs 1 lakh crore as of June 26, 2020, of which more than Rs 45,000 crore has already been disbursed,” the finance ministry said in a statement.

6)This would help more than 30 lakh MSME units and other businesses as they restart operations post the lockdown.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

69)Consider the following with reference to Isreal :

1)Cabinet vote enacting sovereignty rights over the Jordan Valley, 132 Israeli settlements and other areas totalling about 30% the West Bank.

1)The annexation is a part of US President Donald Trump’s “peace plan” authored by his advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

3)Under an agreement amongst partners in Israel’s ruling coalition, the enactment can proceed from July 1,2020

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

70)Consider the following with reference to Covid19 tests :

1) The government has allowed SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in many government and private laboratories.

2)The boon and bane of PCR testing are in its capacity to amplify even one viral gene segment in the sample to generate a detectable signal — a positive test; it is a boon because it accurately detects the presence of virus but a bane because it is prone to false negative and false positive results.

3)A false negative PCR means that a person with infection was missed by the test, but that is in the very nature of PCR. The viral load is lower in the throat than in the nasopharynx. Hence throat swabs are falsely negative in 60% of tests and nasopharyngeal swabs in 30%, according to published studies. An incorrectly taken nasal swab may miss the virus altogether and lead to a false negative test.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

71)Consider the following with reference to banned 59 Chinese applications :

1) A day after the Union government banned 59 Chinese applications, including popular ones such as TikTok, Shareit, Mi Video Call, Club Factory and Cam Scanner, citing threat to national security and sovereignty, it is said that the banned platforms would be given a chance to submit their clarifications.

2)This is in line with provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

72)Consider the following with reference to ‘Wolf warrior diplomacy ‘ :

1)China's "wolf warrior diplomacy", an aggressive and often abrasive stance adopted by its diplomats since 2020, is simply "justified defence" against attacks by a West determined to contain it.

2)"In the eyes of the Westerners, our diplomacy is on the offensive and aggressive, but the truth is, it is them who are on the offensive and aggressive.”

3)Chinese officials tend to argue that their changed attitude is necessary to defend ‘national honour and dignity’ and ‘refute all groundless slander’ targeting China. Or as China’s outgoing ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, argued last year: “ Where there is a ‘wolf’, there should be a ‘warrior’.

4)The term "wolf warrior diplomacy" came into vogue during the Covid-19 pandemic. The term drew from a jingoistic Chinese film franchise, "Wolf Warrior". The second film of the series came in 2017 with a tagline, "Though far away, anyone who affronts China will pay".

5)That "wolf warrior" diplomacy is part of China's state policy is confirmed from reports that Xi Jinping administration has more than doubled the budget for diplomacy and that the performance appraisals of the foreign office staffers are linked to "public relations" activities. The second is a big incentive for the government employees.

6)The fiercer they prove themselves as "wolf warrior" diplomat, the bigger would be their appraisal and higher the career growth.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

73)Consider the following with reference to Solar Energy :

1) Solar energy, would be a big medium for the energy needs of the 21st century.

2)“This is because solar energy is sure, pure and secure. Sure because other sources of energy can be exhausted, but the sun will continue to shine. Pure because instead of polluting the environment, it helps in protecting it. And secure because it’s a huge symbol, inspiration for Atmanirbhar Bharat,”

3)Solar energy would play a major role in achieving self-reliance in energy, essential for an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India).

4)Inagurating a 750 MW solar power project in Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh, it is said : “We won’t be able to use solar power entirely unless we have within the country improved solar panels, improved batteries and best quality storage. We need to work in this direction now.”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

74)Consider the following with reference to :

1) Currently, the IMD collates rainfall data from 681 districts.

Monsoon rainfall since June has been 14% more than what is normal for this time of the year.(2020)

2)So far( in 2020,June), India has received 28.7 cm rainfall as opposed to the typical 25.2 cm. Only on nine of the 40 days of monsoon so far has rainfall been less than the daily average, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

3)About 40% of districts received excess rain while 27% others have seen deficient rain, having received at least 20% less rain than usual.

4)There are 29 districts in Uttar Pradesh, 17 in Gujarat and 16 in Jammu and Kashmir that have received deficient rain. Paradoxically, Uttar Pradesh also leads in the number of districts with excess rain (35), followed by Bihar (32) and Madhya Pradesh (28).

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

75)Consider the following with reference to ‘plasma bank’ :

After Delhi, Chennai had the country’s second ‘plasma bank’ at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH). The Tamil Nadu government is expediting the work to establish the facility at a cost of ₹2 crore.

1) In the absence of a ‘drug of choice’ for treatment of COVID-19, the State government obtained the approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to take up the trial of convalescent plasma therapy for patients with moderate COVID-19.

2) Under this, 500 ml of plasma is collected from a person who has recovered from the disease through the apheresis method and transfused to patients.

3) So far, 18 of the 20 patients who received plasma under the trial have recovered at RGGGH, while one patient has recovered at the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

76)Consider the following with reference to plasma donation :

1) Persons aged 18-65 can donate plasma. Patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 are eligible to donate plasma 14 days after their swab returns negative for COVID-19. Those with co-morbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiac diseases, cancer and kidney diseases and those who have undergone organ transplants and surgeries cannot donate plasma.

2)Persons who come forward to donate plasma will undergo screening, and a maximum of 500 ml of plasma will be collected from eligible donors. The process will take 30 minutes and persons can donate plasma twice in 28 days. The plasma can be stored at -40 degrees Celsius for a year.

3)When steroids and other medications did not help patients or when the oxygen requirement kept increasing, plasma therapy could offer a higher chance of recovery. Patients required transfusion of 200 ml of plasma each for two days. Antibodies in the transfused plasma could neutralise the virus, reducing the viral load and the patients’ dependence on oxygen support,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

77)Consider the following with reference to river basins in Tamil Nadu :

1)Of the total amount, ₹6.5 crore is meant for works coming under the Araniar basin, Kosathalaiyar basin (₹2 crore each) and Lower Palar basin (₹2.5 crore), all of which will benefit Chennai and surrounding areas.

2)The Coleroon Basin will get ₹2 crore and the Vellar Basin ₹1 crore. The remaining ₹40 lakh will be spent on water courses in the jurisdiction of the Krishna Water Supply Division-I in Chepauk, according to a recent order issued by the PWD.

3)The main objective of the work is to clear debris from the Cooum, the Adyar, Otteri nallah, Buckingham and Virgumbakkam canals.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

78)Consider the following with reference to :

The FRBM enjoins the government to conform to pre-set fiscal targets, and in the event of failure to do so, to explain the reasons for deviation. The government is also required to submit to Parliament a ‘Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement’ (FPSS) to demonstrate the credibility of its fiscal stance.

As per provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) can actually accommodate a fiscal deficit of 3%. 1)The States have respected the limit for years and the projection for 2020-21 reflected this. Now, post-pandemic, this limit will be crossed. The FRBM has an “escape clause” that allows for a one-time relaxation of the fiscal deficit threshold upto 0.5% in a time of exigency. The escape clause has been utilised by the Centre but it has proven woefully insufficient in addressing the current crisis.

2)Fiscal policymakers and technocrats agree that the rigidity of the FRBM has to be revisited. It should allow for greater flexibility and consultation as to when and how the “escape clause” can be applied. This goes beyond the current COVID-19 situation, but has come to light because of it — and because the Centre has gone in for subjective interpretation, imposing conditions that are outside the scope of the FRBM.

3)In theory, the Centre has raised the fiscal deficit limit for States, under the FRBM, from 3% to 5%. But only 0.5% of this rise is unconditional. The remaining 1.5% is dependent on fulfilling certain unrealistic and impractical measures — including privatisation of power distribution,and enhancing revenues of urban local bodies.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

79)Consider the following with reference to eating pineapples filled with fire crackers :

1)A petition sought declaration of the “practice of using barbaric means/snares/shaved sticks/explosives to ward off wild animals as illegal, unconstitutional, and violative of Articles 14, and 21 of the Constitution.”

2)The Supreme Court took cognisance of the death of a pregnant elephant from eating pineapples filled with fire crackers by villagers in Kerala as a new low in man-animal conflict episodes across the country

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

80)Consider the following with reference to active forest fire events :

1)During 2003–2017, a total of 5,20,861 active forest fire events were detected in India, and according to the report of the Forest Survey of India, over 54% of the forest cover in India is exposed to occasional fire.

2)“The normalized burn ratio is an effective burn index commonly used to identify burnt regions in large fire zones. In normal conditions, healthy vegetation exhibits a very high reflectance in the near-infrared spectral region and considerably low reflectance in the shortwave infrared spectral region. These conditions get dismantled and reversed if a fire occurs,”

3)Previous studies using forecasting models and in-situ observations in western Himalaya have shown a sharp increase of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and ozone during high fire activity periods. The current paper noted very high to high carbon emissions in the eastern Himalayan states, western desert region and lower Himalayan region.

4)It is noted that the occurrence of high fire intensity at the low altitude Himalayan hilly regions may be due to the plant species (pine trees) in the area and proximity to villages.

5) Villages make them more susceptible to anthropogenic activities like forest cover clearance, grazing and so on

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

81)Consider the following with reference to CAATSA :

The ‘Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act’ (CAATSA) was passed by a Republican-controlled U.S. Congress in July 2017, in part to tighten the screws on President Donald Trump’s ability to lift sanctions on Russia or alter the U.S.-Russia dynamic significantly without Congressional review. Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign was at the time being scrutinised for any Russian links.

1)CAATSA’s stated purpose was to provide “congressional review and to counter aggression by the Governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes”.

2)Mr. Trump reluctantly signed CAATSA into law in August 2017, calling it “seriously flawed” because it “encroaches on the executive branch’s authority to negotiate”.

3)The sanctions against Russia, as per Congress, were for its interference in the 2016 U.S. elections, its military aggression against Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea, as well as for human rights violations. Section 231 of the law provides for secondary sanctions on persons that engage in “significant transactions” with Russian defence and intelligence sectors. In September 2018, the U.S. invoked secondary CAATSA sanctions on a Chinese military department and its head for the purchase of 10 SU-35 Russian combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 equipment in 2018.

4) India and the U.S. have had a growing defence relationship — from “near zero” in U.S. arms sales to India in 2008 to $15 billion in 2019, as per the State Department. India was designated a “Major Defence Partner” of the U.S. in 2016 and it was granted Strategic Trade Authorization tier 1 status in 2018. These designations allowed India easier access to sensitive U.S. defence technology.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

82)Consider the following with reference to history of Hagia Sophia :

An Eastern Orthodox patriarchal cathedral for about 900 years, an imperial mosque for 482 years and then a museum and a famed tourist spot starting 1935. This is the short history of Hagia Sophia, the sixth century Byzantine structure that has survived natural calamities, imperial invasions, crusades and a World War. 1)Hagia Sophia (literally ‘Holy Wisdom’) was built by the Byzantine Emperor, Justinian I, in the first half of the sixth century. This was the third cathedral being built at the site.

2)The first one, with a wooden roof, is believed to have been commissioned by Emperor Constantine I in AD 325 on the remains of a pagan temple. This was burned down by rioters in 404.

3)The second church, ordered by Constans I, was also destroyed in a fire during the Nika riots of 532 that saw widespread fire and destruction in Constantinople (today’s Istanbul). After establishing order in the city, Justinian found the fire an opportunity to rebuild the cathedral with his stamp on it.

The basilica, designed by mathematician Anthemius of Tralles and physicist Isidore of Miletu, was completed in five years by more than 10,000 labourers. The Emperor reopened it in 537. While entering the church, he is reported to have said, “Solomon, I have surpassed you!”, in a reference to King Solomon’s Great Temple in ancient Jerusalem. The first religious service in the rebuilt Hagia Sophia was held on December 27, 537 in the presence of the Emperor.

4)Barring a few years after the Fourth Crusade, Hagia Sophia had been the cathedral of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople until the fall of the city in the 15th century. Several earthquakes damaged it partially, leading to restorations. In early 13th century, crusaders looted the building and turned it into a Roman Catholic cathedral. But after the Byzantines recaptured the city from the Venetian crusaders, they restored the cathedral and it continued to remain the seat of the Patriarch until the Ottomans came. On May 28, 1453, when Constantinople was under siege and the Ottomans were making steady advances into the Byzantine defence lines, Emperor Constantine XI entered the basilica to pray. After prayers, he returned to the city walls to coordinate the war efforts. But the Byzantine defence lasted only one day.

5)On May 29,1453 the Ottomans, under the command of Mehmed II the ‘Conqueror’, entered the city. Mehmed is said to have been mesmerised by the architectural beauty of the basilica. The Sultan decided to turn the basilica into a mosque. The Ottomans later commissioned the renowned medieval architect Sinan to renovate the structure. They built massive buttresses to support the walls. A mihrab (a semi-circular niche on the wall that indicates the qibla, the direction of Mecca) and a minbar (pulpit) were installed. New minarets came up. The Ottomans covered many of the Byzantine mosaics with Islamic calligraphy. The images of Jesus, Mother Mary, saints and angels were either destroyed or plastered over (Some mosaics were restored when the mosque was converted into a museum). The mosque, called Ayasofya in Turkish, remained the centre of power throughout the Ottoman rule.

6)The architectural marvel in Istanbul, which is revered by both eastern Orthodox Christians and Muslims, is now being turned into a mosque by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

83)Consider the following with reference to India’s tiger census of 2018 : (July,2020news)

1)India’s tiger census of 2018 has set a Guinness record for being the world’s largest camera-trap wildlife survey.

2)The fourth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation 2018 counted 2,967 tigers, which is about 75% of the global tiger population.

3)The Guinness World Records website said, “The fourth iteration of the survey — conducted in 2018-19 — was the most comprehensive to date, in terms of both resource and data amassed. Camera traps (outdoor photographic devices fitted with motion sensors that start recording when an animal passes by) were placed in 26,838 locations across 141 different sites and surveyed an effective area of 1,21,337 sq.km.” It added, “In total, the camera traps captured 3,48,58,623 photographs of wildlife (76,651 of which were that of tigers and 51,777 of leopards; the remainder were other native fauna). From these photographs, 2,461 individual tigers (excluding cubs) were identified using stripe-pattern-recognition software.”

4)Union Environment Minister tweeted, “The All India Tiger Estimation is now in the Guinness World Records for being the largest camera trap wildlife survey, a great moment indeed and a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

84)Consider the following with reference to Black Lives Matter movement :

As the BlackLivesMatter movement gathers momentum, its followers — spread across the world now — would do well to pause and take a relook at Gandhi while discovering Ambedkar.

1)In today’s context, Gandhi is best understood through his relationship with Ambedkar.

2)Today, 84 seats in the Lok Sabha are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 47 for the Scheduled Tribes. That an affirmative action programme, which in range and magnitude is unsurpassed in the world, matched such political empowerment makes the Poona Pact a foundational document for the empowerment of the underprivileged and a model of its kind.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

85)Consider the following :

With ‘diplomatic bags’ turning a safe route to smuggle gold into the country, baggage arriving from abroad through the diplomatic channel will be subjected to increased surveillance by law enforcers.

Diplomatic bags should have visible external marks of their character and may contain only diplomatic documents or articles intended for official use. These bags should also bear the name and address of the consignee and that of the sender.

1) Heavier diplomatic bags are carried as baggage on the aircraft while the diplomatic mail of the missions abroad is taken in the cabin as ‘Diplock’. In case an aircraft meets with an accident, there are laid-out procedures to destroy them as they may contain classified and sensitive documents.

2) The diplomatic bags are sealed at the embassies and missions and will have to be collected from the designated Customs officer by the designated embassy officer. Mails are sent in advance on the diplomatic bag and there will be no clearing agent

3) A diplomatic bag of any classification, whether it is carried by a courier or sent as cargo, cannot be opened under any circumstances by security personnel. “Misusing the diplomatic channel for smuggling is the work of orchestrated minds and a serious look is needed to plug the loopholes

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

86)Consider the following :

1) A week after the Galwan and Pangong skirmishes, the PLA bolstered deployments both in the far north, from Dahongliutan near the Xinjiang-Tibet border starting May 12,2020 and in the eastern sector of the India-China border near Naku La in North Sikkim from May 13, where a skirmish took place on May 9..

2) Chinese troops also made ingresses at Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra and built up at Chip Chap, Spanggur gap and Changlung La. The rear areas were all occupied by mid June,

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

87)Consider the following with reference to :

1) Iran and China have quietly drafted a sweeping economic and security partnership that would clear the way for billions of dollars of Chinese investments in energy and other sectors, undercutting the Donald Trump administration’s efforts to isolate the Iranian government because of its nuclear and military ambitions.

2)The partnership, detailed in an 18-page proposed agreement , would vastly expand Chinese presence in banking, telecommunications, ports, railways and dozens of other projects. In exchange, China would receive a regular — and, according to an Iranian official and an oil trader, heavily discounted — supply of Iranian oil over the next 25 years.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

88)Consider the following with reference to Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala :

1)The Supreme Court held that the erstwhile Travancore royal family is the “human ministrant” or the shebait (manager) of the properties belonging to Sree Padmanabha, chief deity of the famed and fabulously rich Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala.

2)A Bench of Justices in a 218-page judgment, brought quietus to a dispute of over a decade on whether the temple and its considerable assets should devolve to the Kerala government following the death of Travancore ruler Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma in July 1991.

3)Arguments were raised both to and fro — senior advocate for the royals and some devotees represented by a team of advocates of — on whether the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which put an end to privy purses enjoyed by erstwhile rulers, would nudge the temple and properties into the hands of the State. In fact, the Kerala High Court, in 2011, directed the State to take over the temple and exhibit its treasures for public viewing in a museum.

4)Justice who wrote the judgment, categorically held that the death of a ruler does not affect the royal family’s shebaitship of the temple. “Shebaitship was always in the royal family and the Ruler represented the unbroken line of shebaits,” the judgment said. Shebaitship does not lapse in favour of the State by principle of escheat (reversion of property to the State).

5)Accepting the royals’ submission that the temple is a “public temple”, the court issued a slew of directions for its transparent administration in the future.

6)It directed the setting up of an administrative committee, with the Thiruvananthapuram district judge as its chairperson. The other members would be a nominee of the trustee (royal family), the chief thanthri of the temple, a nominee of the State and a member nominated by the Union Ministry of Culture. The panel would take care of the daily administration of the temple.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

89)Consider the following with reference to rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan, along the border with Afghanistan :

1)Four years after India and Iran signed an agreement to construct a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan, along the border with Afghanistan, the Iranian government has decided to proceed with the construction on its own, citing delays from the Indian side in funding and starting the project.

2)Iranian Transport and Urban Development inaugurated the track-laying process for the 628 km Chabahar-Zahedan line, which will be extended to Zaranj across the border in Afghanistan.

3)Officials told the entire project would be completed by March 2022, and that Iranian Railways will proceed without India’s assistance, using approximately $400 million from the Iranian National Development Fund.

4)The development comes as China finalises a massive 25-year, $400 billion strategic partnership deal with Iran, which could cloud India’s plans.

5)The railway project, which was being discussed between the Iranian Railways and the state-owned Indian Railways Construction Ltd (IRCON), was meant to be part of India’s commitment to the trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan to build an alternate trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

6)In May 2016, during Prime Minister visit to Tehran to sign the Chabahar agreement with Iranian President Rouhani and Afghanistan President , IRCON had signed an MoU with the Iranian Rail Ministry.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

90)Consider the following with reference to Monsoon rains :

So far, India appears to be having a good run with the monsoon. As of the most recent data available from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rainfall during the season has been 14% more than what is usual for this period. The month of June only accounts for about 17% of the monsoon rainfall spanning June-September. It is the month during which the monsoon sets in and that process can sometimes be delayed for as much as a week.

1)June is also when the monsoon begins its journey from two extremities of the country.

2)One branch starts its journey northwards from Kerala and the other wing — called the Bay of Bengal branch — enters India from the southeast.

3)Both branches eventually converge in the north and usually, this merging and strengthening of the monsoon currents over the mainland takes at least until July 15.

4)The IMD never forecasts the possible rainfall likely during June because of the vagaries involved in onset and the pace of the journey. This year, two significant things happened.

5)The monsoon set in at a textbook date of June 1. This was even after concerns that Cyclone Amphan that had ravaged West Bengal would delay the monsoon’s entry into India from the Andaman Sea. The second factor was the record pace at which the monsoon covered the country. Along with the monsoon onset this year, the IMD announced a revision to the onset and withdrawal dates across several cities. According to this, the monsoon covered India’s northern and western borders no later than July 8 as opposed to the previous historical date of July 15. This year, however, the monsoon broke even this speed limit and covered the country by June 25 — at a pace that was unprecedented since 2013.

6)The net result of all this: more rainy days in June and a fairly even distribution across the country. The IMD’s records show that only on four days in that month did daily rainfall drop below its historical normal. Except for northwest India, which is staring at a 3% deficit, the rainfall in east, south and central India has posted surpluses of 13%-20%. While good rains in June signal farmers to prepare the soil and sow kharif crop, the most important months are July and August. These two months account for two-thirds of the monsoon rain. This is also the time the monsoon goes into so-called ‘break’ conditions. Prolonged breaks, or an absence of rainfall, can even lead to drought. In spite of significant improvements in data gathering and technological advancement, meteorological agencies cannot yet reliably forecast the advent of a break or how long it can last.

7)What is critical is that ‘normal rains’ also obscure the possibility of heavy rains or severe droughts in districts or over larger areas. Therefore, short and medium range forecasts need to be strengthened and effectively communicated to the people.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

91)Consider the following with reference to Mont Blanc glacier :

1) The Mont Blanc glacier in the French Alps yields more and more secrets as it melts — this time a clutch of newspapers with banner headlines from when Indira Gandhi became India’s first and so far only woman Prime Minister in 1966.

2) The Mont Blanc massif is 46 kilometres long and liesin a southwest to northeasterly direction across the borders of France, Italy and Switzerland.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

92)Consider the following with reference to Georgia & St Queen Ketavan :

1) Georgia, a strategically important country situated at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.

2)St. Queen Ketevan was a 17th century Georgian Queen. Her relics were found in 2005 at the St. Augustine Convent in Old Goa, on the basis of medieval Portuguese records, people aware of the matter said.

3)The relics are believed to have been brought to Goa in 1627 and interred in St. Augustine Complex.

4)At the instance of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, carried out DNA analysis that confirmed its authenticity, the people cited above said.

5)In 2017, at the request of the Georgian government, India sent the relics to Georgia for an exhibition for six months.

6) The relics of St. Queen Ketevan handed over to the government and the people of Georgia at a ceremony in Tbilisi in the presence of Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

93)Consider the following with reference to Sikkim :

1) Sikkim, which is a part of the Kanchenjunga biosphere landscape, has different altitudinal ecosystems, which provide opportunity for herbs and trees to grow and thrive.

2)“From subalpine vegetation to the temperate to the tropical, the State has different kinds of vegetation, and that is the reason for such a diversity of flora. The elevation also varies between 300 metres and 8,598 metres above mean sea level, the apex being the top of Mt. Kanchenjunga (8,586 metres),” Ashiho A. Mao, Director of BSI, said. Dr. Mao emphasised the need to have updated checklist of flora of every State, and active cooperation with the State government is needed in this regard.

3)“The widening of roads to Nathu La, which is of strategic interest to us (bordering China), and the hydel power plants in north Sikkim, should also take into account the environmental concerns of locals. We are not against such activities, but it should not come at the cost of our biodiversity,”

4)Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, one of the pioneers of modern botany, conducted the first survey of Sikkim in 1848 and published Rhododendrons of Sikkim. In 1898, two British botanists, Sir George King and Robert Pantling, published their monumental work, The Orchids of Sikkim-Himalayas.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

94)Consider the following with reference to Haiti :

1) Haiti : Port-au-Prince

2) Caribbean nation

3) Haiti is extremely vulnerable to natural disasters with more than 90 percent of the population at risk. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew battered the south of Haiti, which was the most devastating disaster since the 2010 earthquake

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

95)Consider the following with reference to Conjugate vaccines :

1) The most common conjugate vaccines are those used for Haemophilus influenza type b and the pneumococcal bacteria. However, a unique aspect of the Soberana vaccine is that it is by far the only one among coronavirus vaccine candidates that relies on the conjugate vaccine technology.

2)“The [Carribean] island’s (Cuba) four vaccine candidates against COVID-19 are developed as subunit vaccines, one of the most economical approaches and the type for which Cuba has the greatest know-how and infrastructure. From protein S - the antigen or part of the SARS-CoV2 virus that all COVID vaccines target because it induces the strongest immune response in humans - Cuban [vaccine] candidates are based only on the part that is involved in contact with the cell’s receptor: the RBD (receptor-binding domain) which is also the one that induces the greatest number of neutralising antibodies

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

96)Consider the following :

The 2020 Millennium Technology Prize, announced in May, has been awarded to Shankar Balasubramanian and David Klenerman, “for their development of revolutionary DNA sequencing techniques.” Their work is a perfect blend of science and innovation, and very apt as we have all heard a great deal about genome sequencing in the context of the ongoing pandemic.

1)DNA (or RNA, in some viruses), the genetic material of life forms, is made of four bases (A, T, G and C; with U replacing T in the case of RNA). A chromosome is the duplex of a long linear chain of these – and in the DNA sequence is information – the blueprint of life. Life famously can replicate, and DNA replicates when an enzyme, DNA polymerase, synthesises a complementary strand using an existing DNA strand as the template.

2)The breakthrough idea of Balasubramanian and Klenerman was to sequence DNA (or RNA) using this process of strand synthesis. They cleverly modified their ATGC bases so that each shone with a different colour. When copied, the “coloured” copy of DNA could be deciphered from the colours alone, using miniature optical and electronic devices.

3)A very significant advance in their “Next Generation Sequencing” (NGS) method lies in the size of DNA that could be sequenced at one go – more than a million base pairs can be sequenced, which translates to hundreds of genes or even the whole genome of an organism. This is made possible by simultaneously sequencing hundreds of pieces of DNA at the same time. Many copies of this long DNA “sentence” are randomly broken up into small pieces, each no more than a few hundred bases long, which are all sequenced together. The “reads” are then fitted together, in the manner of a puzzle, to give the final sequence.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

97)Consider the following with reference to origin of the UAPA:

The Union government was considering a stringent law against calls for secession in the mid-1960s. In March 1967, a peasant uprising in Naxalbari imparted a sense of urgency. On June 17, 1966, the President had promulgated the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Ordinance “to provide for the more effective prevention of unlawful activities of individuals and associations”.

Its stringency created a furore in Parliament when it was tabled, leading to the government dropping it. Instead, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, which was not identical to the ordinance, was passed.

After the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), 2002, was repealed, the UAPA was expanded to include what would have been terrorist acts in earlier laws.

1)In its present form, the Act, after the amendments in 2004 and 2013, covers the declaration of associations as unlawful, punishment for terrorist acts and activities, acts threatening the country’s security, including its economic security (a term that covers fiscal and monetary security, food, livelihood, energy ecological and environmental security), and provisions to prevent the use of funds for terrorist purposes, including money laundering.

2)The ban on organisations was initially for two years, but from 2013, the period of proscription has been extended to five years.

3)Under Section 43D(5) of the Act, bail cannot be granted to a suspect if the court is of the opinion that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the charges are prima facie true. A Supreme Court judgment on this has clarified that this meant that the court considering bail should not examine the evidence too deeply, but must go by the prosecution version based on broad probabilities. This means that the onus is on the accused to show that the case is false but without inviting the court to evaluate the available evidence. This is why human rights defenders feel that the provision is draconian, virtually rendering it impossible for anyone to obtain bail until the completion of the trial.

4)In 2019, the Act was amended to empower the government to designate individuals as terrorists.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

98)Consider the following with reference to Mekadatu Project :

1)Karnataka has set out to pursue the Mekedatu project. Originally proposed as a hydropower project, the revised Mekedatu dam project has more than one purpose to serve.

2)Estimated to cost ₹9,000 crore, the project envisages the construction of a reservoir of 67.16-tmc ft capacity, which will come up about 4 km away from the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.

3)A hydropower plant of nearly 400 MW has also been proposed.

4)The Karnataka government has argued that the proposed reservoir will regulate the flow to Tamil Nadu on a monthly basis, as stipulated by the Tribunal and the Supreme Court. .

5)Tamil Nadu feels that Karnataka, through the project, will impound and divert flows from “uncontrolled catchments” to it, a component which was taken into account by the Tribunal in the 2007 order while arriving at the water allocation plan for the State.

6)As per an estimate, around 80 tmc ft of water flows annually to Tamil Nadu, thanks to the catchments including the area between Kabini dam in Karnataka and Billigundulu gauging site on the inter-State border, and the area between Krishnaraja Sagar dam in Karnataka and the gauging site. As the upper riparian State has adequate infrastructure even now to address the water needs of Bengaluru, there is no need for the Mekedatu project, according to Tamil Nadu.

7)The Mekedatu project also does not find mention in the Tribunal’s final order or the Supreme Court judgment. Besides, given the unpleasant experiences that it has had with Karnataka in securing its share of the Cauvery water over the years, Tamil Nadu is wary of the assurances of the other side.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

99)Consider the following with reference to Great Indian Bustard :

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) estimates that about 15% of the great Indian bustard (GIB) population dies each year due to collision with power lines, making this the most significant threat to the majestic bird today.

1)The bustard has had a chequered history; its unusual name stopped it from being declared the ‘national bird’ of India.

2)Once found in large numbers across the country, Rajasthan is now home to the single largest viable population of the species. But the State has other plans for the bustard’s habitat — an array of solar and wind energy projects.

3)A WII report from 2020 minced no words: ‘unless power line mortality is mitigated urgently, extinction of GIBs is certain’, it said. And that led to a Supreme Court order in April 2021 mandating that all power lines in both the ‘potential’ and the ‘priority’ habitats of the bird be laid underground.

4)This was a path-breaking order, as it included not just the small area of the Desert National Park in Jaisalmer, but also encompassed a much larger tract of the last remaining suitable habitat, as this would ensure the long-term conservation of the species and the successful reintroduction of captive-bred birds in the future.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

(a)1 only

(b)1 and 2 only

(d) None

Ans: c

100)Consider the following with reference to Galwan Valley etc. :

1)Diplomatic talks have also been on to resolve tensions on the border since the two sides first clashed on May 5 at Pangong Tso.

2)Earlier, Indian and Chinese troops completed the first phase of disengagement from the stand-off areas in the Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra and also partial disengagement from Pangong Tso, where Chinese troops moved back from the base of Finger 4 to Finger 5. However, Chinese troops are still present on the ridge line of Finger 4.

3)The talks at Chushul in eastern Ladakh began at 11 a.m. on July 14 and ended at 2 a.m. on July 15, that is 4.30 a.m. Beijing Standard Time, the source said.

4)The CSG was set up in 1976 by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to advise on policy issues relating to China.

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

Sunday, 26 September 2021

Civils Prelims 2021 Model Questions (for GS Paper ) Set No. 28 {Prepared on 22 .9.2021

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