Test 31 A

VISIONIAS
www.visionias.in
ANSWERS & EXPLANATION

GENERAL STUIDES (P) TEST – 2458 (2018)
Q 1.B
Statement 1 is correct. The following features were borrowed from Government of India Act of 1935-
Federal scheme, Office of Governor, Judiciary, Public Service Commission, Emergency provisions and
administrative details.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Removal of Supreme court and High court Judges was borrowed from United
States of America Constitution.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity were borrowed from French
Constitution. But the ideal of justice – social, economic and political- was borrowed from USSR’s (Russia)
Constitution.
Q 2.B
Statement 1 is not correct. MAT is a tax levied on “zero tax” companies. In order to bring such
companies under the I-T net, Section 115JA (Minimum Alternate Tax) was added to the Income Tax Act
in year 1997-98.
Statement 2 is correct. Zero tax companies are those companies that show book profits and distribute
dividends to share holders but don’t pay taxes. This happens because although the profit and loss of a
corporation are calculated as per provisions of Companies Act, the income tax is calculated on the basis
of provisions of Income Tax Act. The companies take advantage of various exemptions given in IT Act to
show their disposable income as nil. Therefore, MAT is levied on book profits (calculated as per
provisions of Companies Act) and not on disposable income. As per The Finance Act, 2016, Minimum
alternate tax (MAT) won’t be applicable foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and foreign portfolio
investors (FPIs) as they normally don’t have a place of business in India. This was applied retrospectively
from 2001.
Q 3.D
o The South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program brings together Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in a project-based partnership that aims to
promote regional prosperity, improve economic opportunities, and build a better quality of life for the
people of the subregion.
o The SASEC program was formed in 2001 in response to the request of the four countries of South Asia –
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal – from Asian Development Bank (ADB) to assist in facilitating
economic cooperation among them. Maldives and Sri Lanka joined SASEC in 2014, further expanding
opportunities for enhancing economic linkages in the sub-region.
o Myanmar became the 7th member of SASEC in 2017.
Q 4.D
Statement 1 is incorrect. The priority sectors to be covered under Priority Sector Lending are identified
by RBI.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Priority Sector Lending targets are same for Domestic scheduled commercial
banks and Foreign banks with 20 branches and above. However, they are different for Foreign banks
1 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

with less than 20 branches. Banks like Regional Rural Banks have a higher Priority Sector Lending targets
than commercial banks.
Q 5.C
o Indian Air Force became the first organization in the country to achieve 'Mission Seven Summits.' After
scaling of Mt Everest in 2005, IAF launched a unique and unprecedented series of mountaineering
expedition 'Mission Seven Summits' with an aim to fly the tricolour and the IAF flag on the highest
peaks in every continent. A team comprising five IAF mountaineers, led by GpCapt RC Tripathi, in the
early hours of 26 Dec 17, successfully scaled Mt Vinson in Antarctica, thus completing the assigned
Mission.
Q 6.C
Causes of wetland loss-
Natural Causes:
 Subsidence
 Sea level rise
 Drought Hurricane and other storms
 Erosion
 Biotic effects (natural as well as induced due to disturbances)
Human Causes:
 Drainage for agriculture, forestry and mosquito control
 Dredging and stream channelization for navigation and food protection
 Filling for solid waste disposal, roads
 Conservation for aquaculture/mariculture
 Construction of dykes, dams and seawalls for flood control
 Discharge of pesticide, herbicide, nutrients from domestic sewage
 Mining of wetlands for peat, coal, gravel, phosphate and other minerals
 Ground water abstraction
 Sediment diversion by dams
 Hydrological alterations by canals, roads and other structures
 Subsidence due to extraction of ground water, oil, gas and other minerals
Hence, the answer is (c).
Q 7.B
o Statement 1 is correct: Kheda Satyagraha of 1918 was Mahatma Gandhiji's first act of Non-Cooperation
in India.
o Statement 2 is not correct: Because of drought in 1918, the crops failed in Kheda district of Gujarat.
According to Revenue Code, if the yield was less than one-fourth the normal produce, the farmers were
entitled to remission. The authorities refused to grant remission.
o Gandhiji supported the peasants' cause and asked them to withhold revenue. The authorities, not willing
to openly concede the peasants' demand, issued secret instructions that only those who could afford to
pay should pay. Many young nationalists such as Sardar Patel and IndulYagnik supported Gandhiji.
o Statement 3 is not correct: It was in Champaran satyagraha where Mahatma Gandhi was nominated as a
member of the government appointed committe (Champaran Agragarian committee) to look into the
matter.
Q 8.B
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is the nodal drug law enforcement and intelligence agency of India
responsible for fighting drug trafficking and the abuse of illegal substances. The chief purpose of the
Narcotics Control Bureau is to fight drug trafficking on an all-India level.
The National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances is based on the Directive Principles,
contained in Article 47 of the Indian Constitution, which direct the State to endeavor to bring about
prohibition of the consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of intoxicating drugs injurious to health.

Narcotics Control Bureau was established under The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act,
1985. Ministry of Home Affairs is the Parent agency of Narcotics Control Bureau.
Q 9.B
In addition to the Attorney General, there are other law officers of the Government of India. They are
the Solicitor General of India and additional Solicitor General of India. They assist the Attorney General
in the fulfilment of his official responsibilities. It should be noted here that only the office of the
Attorney General is created by the Constitution. In other words, Article 76 does not mention about the
Solicitor General and additional Solicitor General.
Q 10.C
Green House Gas Protocol is a 20-year partnership between World Resources Institute (WRI) and the
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). GHG Protocol establishes comprehensive
global standardized frameworks to measure and manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from private
and public-sector operations, value chains and mitigation actions. GHG Protocol works with
governments, industry associations, NGOs, businesses and other organizations. Hence, both statements
are correct.
Q 11.B
Prairies are temperate grasslands.
Statement 1 is incorrect. Tall grass and short trees is characteristic feature of savanna. Prairies are
practically treeless and grasses are much shorter.
Statement 2 is correct. In spring, the grass appears green, fresh and blooming with colourfulfowers. In
summers, the grass is scorched due to heat and evaporation and turns yellow and brown. Towards
autumn grass withers but roots remain alive. Everything remains quite during winters and cycle is
revived with the next spring.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Extensive wheat farming with use of heavy machinery and large farmsize have
made prairies graneries of the world. Intensive farming is practiced in densely populated areas with
smaller landholdings.
Q 12.B
Statement 1 is not correct. Court of Small causes are established under the Presidency Small Cause
Courts Act-1882. As per the Act, The State Government may, by order in writing, establish a Court of
Small Causes at any place within its territory.
Statement 2 is correct. These courts decide only civil cases of small value in a summary manner. High
Court possesses a power of revision on the judgements of Small Causes courts.
Q 13.B
Coral bleaching is called so because zooxanthellae (which are golden-brown in colour) are expelled,
leaving the white coral exposed. While the cause of bleaching is not yet fully known and extensive
research is under way, it is believed that the most likely factor is unusually high seawater temperatures,
approximately 30 °C (86 °F). Other factors linked to coral bleaching include rising acidity associated with
the increased absorption of carbon dioxide by the oceans ( Hence, statement 1 is incorrect), ultraviolet
radiation exposure, drying from extreme low-tide events (such as those associated with El Niño)
(therefore statement 2 is incorrect), sedimentation, pollution, and disease.Since coral reefs harbour
many species of fishes and other sea life, local and commercial fishing can overharvest them.
In their attempts to capture the animals of the reef, fishers may resort to using dragnets and explosives.
Such practices scour or break up sections of the reef, destroying the corals and the numerous individual
habitats they provide. Some coral reefs may be cloaked by excess sedimentation from terrestrial
erosion. (Thus statement 3 is correct.)
Q 14.B
o Tibet was ruled by a theocracy of Buddhist monks under the nominal suzerainty of China. The British
efforts to establish friendly relations with Tibet had not yielded any result in the past and a deadlock
had been reached by the time Curzon's arrival in India. The Chinese suzerainty over Tibet was
ineffective and Russian influence at Lhasa was increasing, there were reports of Russian arms and
ammunition coming into Tibet. Curzon felt alarmed and sent a small Gorkha regiment under Colonel
Younghusband on a special mission to Tibet to oblige the Tibetans to come to an agreement.
Q 15.C
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the only internationally
recognized, legally binding instrument that addresses the problem of land degradation in the drylands
and which enjoys a truly universal membership of 193 country parties. It plays a key role in global efforts
to eradicate poverty, achieve sustainable development and reach the Millennium Development Goals, in
particular with regard to the eradication of extreme poverty. The World Day to Combat Desertification is
celebrated every year on June 17 all over the world. Hence, the answer is (c).
Q 16.C
o The Meerut conspiracy case is the most famous conspiracy case of Indian freedom struggle. The British
government was increasingly worried about the growing influence of the communists in India. Hence
the government targeted labour leaders, trade unionists, and British communists. In March 1929,
arrests were made from various parts of India. These people were charged under section 121(A) of the
Indian Penal Code, of conspiracy to deprive the King of the sovereignty of British India’. This conspiracy
case went on till 1932 in the sessions court of Meerut and the convicted were sentenced to various
terms of transportation or rigorous imprisonment.
o The accused were defended by famous lawyers such as Jawahrlal Nehru, M.C.Chagla and M.A.Ansari.
The arrested included MuzaffarAhamed, S.A.Dange, S.V.Ghate, GangadharAdhikari, P.C.Joshi, Shaukat
Usmani among others. There were three British citizens among the accused- Philip Spratt, Benjamin
Francis Bradley and Lester Hutchinson.
o The trial attracted worldwide publicity and drew sympathetic comments from Albert Einstein, H. G.
Wells and President Roosevelt.
Q 17.D
o From 8th century CE onwards, maritime routes between India and China, that either crossed through the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands or passed around the ports of Bay of Bengal to Sumatra and into the South
China Sea, became more popular than the earlier overland routes.
o Several factors contributed to the change from overland to seaborne routes such as change in economic
policies, developments in navigation, better understanding of monsoon (seasonal winds), ship-building
technologies and political stability which boosted the seaborne trade between Indian and
China. Instability in Central Asia and encouragement of the commerce by the southern Indian states in
the eighth and the ninth centuries helped in the rapid increase in maritime trade between India and
China
Q 18.C
o In India, four types of calendars are followed: Vikram Samvat (Hindu lunar calendar), Saka Samvat (Hindu
Solar calendar), Hijri Calendar (Islamic lunar calendar), Gregorian Calendar (Scientific solar calendar)-
followed universally.
o VikramSamvat: Dates back to 57 B.C. Introduced by King Vikramaditya to mark his victory over the Saka
rulers.57 B.C. is the zero year. It is a lunar calendar as it is based on the movement of the moon.
o Saka Samvat: The zero year of SakaSamvat is 78 A.D.It was started by Saka rulers to mark their victory
over Kushanas.It is a solar calendar. It was adopted by the Government of India as the official calendar in
the year 1957.
o Hijri calendar: It is a lunar calendar.The zero year is 622 A.D.It was initially started and followed in Saudi
Arabia.Every year has 12 months and 354 days. The first month is called Muharram and Ninth month is
called Ramzaan.
Q 19.C
The World Heritage Convention is one of the most important global conservation instruments
Created in 1972, the primary mission of the Convention is to identify and protect the world's natural
and cultural heritage considered to be of Outstanding Universal Value.
It embodies a visionary idea – that some places are so important that their protection is not only the
responsibility of a single nation, but is also the duty of the international community as a whole; and not
only for this generation, but for all those to come.
The Convention is governed by the World Heritage Committee supported by the UNESCO World
Heritage Centre, the secretariat for the Convention.
Q 20.D
Statement 1 is incorrect: Global E-waste monitor 2017 report has been jointly prepared by United
Nations University, International Telecommunications Union and International Solid Waste Association
(ISWA).
Statement 2 is incorrect: India has the e-waste rules in effect since 2011. The rule mandates producers
to be responsible for the collection and financing of systems according to the Extended Producer
Responsibility concept. Further amendment to this rule came in 2015, which resulted in the E-waste
(Management) Rule in 2016. The main feature of this rule is EPR. The amended rule has provisions for
Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) and Deposit Refund Scheme under EPR.
Q 21.C
o The pancreas is an organ located in the abdomen. It plays an essential role in converting the food we eat
into fuel for the body's cells.
o The pancreas is located behind the stomach in the upper left abdomen. It is surrounded by other organs
including the small intestine, liver, and spleen. It is spongy, about six to ten inches long, and is shaped
like a flat pear or a fish extended horizontally across the abdomen.
o The pancreas contains exocrine glands that produce enzymes important to digestion. These enzymes
include trypsin and chymotrypsin to digest proteins; amylase for the digestion of carbohydrates; and
lipase to break down fats.
o The endocrine component of the pancreas consists of islet cells (islets of Langerhans) that create
and release important hormones directly into the bloodstream. Two of the main pancreatic hormones
are insulin, which acts to lower blood sugar, and glucagon, which acts to raise blood sugar. Maintaining
proper blood sugar levels is crucial to the functioning of key organs including the brain, liver, and
kidneys.
Q 22.B
Statement 1 is not correct: Due process of law is nowhere mentioned in the constitution.
Statement 2 is correct: Due process of law doctrine not only checks if there is a law to deprive the life
and personal liberty of a person but also see if the law made is fair, just and not arbitrary. If SC finds that
any law as not fair, it will declare it as null and void. This doctrine provides for more fair treatment of
individual rights.
Under due process, it is the legal requirement that the state must respect all of the legal rights that are
owed to a person and laws that states enact must conform to the laws of the land like – fairness,
fundamental rights, liberty etc. It also gives the judiciary to access the fundamental fairness, justice, and
liberty of any legislation.
“Procedure established by law” means a law duly enacted is valid even if it’s contrary to principles of
justice and equity. Strictly following procedure established by law may raise the risk of compromise to
life and personal liberty of individuals due to unjust laws made by the law-making authorities. It is to
avoid this situation, SC stressed the importance of due process of law.
Q 23.D
o It is an ambitious treatment target adopted by UNAIDS to end the AIDS epidemic. It aims that by 2020,
90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status. By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed
HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy. By 2020, 90% of all people receiving
antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.
o 90:90:90 strategy that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has adopted will help to identify 90% of
those infected, place 90% of these on treatment and ensure 90% have their virus under control. This

strategy will offer an opportunity to work towards “ending AIDS by 2030” as a part of the Sustainable
Development Goal (SDG)
Q 24.D
A decade ago, international partners from around the world envisioned the largest telescope to be build
- the Thirty Meter Telescope. The Thirty Meter Telescope will be the largest ground-based observatory in
the world and will provide new observational opportunities in essentially every field of astronomy and
astrophysics. Astronomers will pursue further advancement of our understanding in several key science
areas, including:
o Spectroscopic exploration of the “dark ages” when the first sources of light and the first heavy
elements in the universe formed;
o Exploration of galaxies and large-scale structure in the young universe, including the era in which
most of the stars and heavy elements were formed and the galaxies in today’s universe were first
assembled
o Investigations of massive black holes throughout cosmic time
o Exploration of planet-formation processes and the characterization of extra-solar planets
o Discovery observations that push into the terrestrial-planet regime
Furthermore, as has been the case for every previous increase in capability of this magnitude, it is very
likely that the scientific impact of TMT will go far beyond what we envision today and TMT will enable
discoveries that we cannot anticipate.
The TMT project is an international partnership between CalTech, Universities of California, Canada,
Japan, China and India.
The Aryabhatta Research Institute for Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, the Indian Institute of
Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore and the Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA),
Pune are the three main institutes constituting TMT-India. The activities of TMT-India will be coordinated
by the India TMT Coordination Centre (ITCC) set up by the Department of Science and Technology, with
IIA as the nodal agency of ITCC
India TMT will be jointly funded by the Departments of Science and Technology and Atomic Energy.
Q 25.A
Statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.
o The Nehru Report of 1928 recommended dominion status for India on lines of self-governing
dominions as the form of government desired by Indians. The younger section regarded the idea of
dominion status in the report as a step backward, and the developments at the All Parties
Conference strengthened their criticism of the dominion status idea.
o In 1928, Jawaharlal joined hands with Subhash to organize the Independence for India League to
fight for complete independence and ‘a socialist revision of the economic structure of society.
Q 26.C
o Government has been providing Line of Credit (LoC) under the Indian Development and Economic
Assistance Scheme (IDEAS) since 2005-06.
o The first extension to the scheme was granted in 2009-2010. Since the objectives of the scheme
continue to be relevant, it was decided to give second extension to the scheme for another five years
i.e. from 2015-16 to 2019-20, under which line of credit is provided to African as well as other
developing nations.
o The IDEA Scheme, with suitable modifications and amendments, continues to be implemented through
the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).
o The Ministry of External Affairs selects specific projects keeping in view diplomatic considerations and
requests received from various developing countries.
o These LoCs form an important component of India’s diplomatic strategy and have been very useful in
generating goodwill and building long term partnerships.
Q 27.C
Pyrenees mountain chain of southwestern Europe consists of flat-topped massifs and folded linear
ranges. It stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Bay of Biscay on the
Atlantic Ocean on the west. The Pyrenees form a high wall between France and Spain that has played a
significant role in the history of both countries and of Europe as a whole. Hence, pair 1 is not correctly
matched.
The Gulf of Boothia is a body of water in Nunavut, Canada. Gran Chaco is an extensive lowland plain of
central South America. It is sparsely populated and is divided among Paraguay, Bolivia, and
Argentina. Hence, pairs 2 and 3 are correctly matched.
Q 28.C
In 1854, Charles Wood prepared a despatch on an educational system for India. Considered the "Magna
Carta of English Education inIndia", this document was the first comprehensive plan for the spread of
education in India.
 It asked the Government of India to assume responsibility for education of the masses, thus
repudiating the 'downward filtration theory', at least on paper. Hence, option 1 is not correct.
 It systematised the hierarchy from vernacular primary schools in villages at bottom, followed by
Anglo-Vernacular High Schools and an affiliated college at the district level, and affiliating
universities in the presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.
 It recommended English as the medium of instruction for higher studies and vernaculars at school
level.
 It laid stress on female and vocational, education, and on teachers' training. Hence, option 2 is
correct.
 It laid down that the education imparted in government institutions should be secular. Hence,
option 3 is correct.
 It recommended a system of grants-in-aid to encourage private enterprise. Hence, option 4 is
correct.
Q 29.C
 The letters in the word 'laser' stand for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. A laser is
an unusual light source. It is quite different from a light bulb or a flash light. Lasers produce a narrow
beam of light in which all of the light waves have very similar wavelengths.
 The laser’s light waves travel together with their peaks all lined up, or 'in phase'. This is why laser beams
are very narrow, very bright, and can be focused into a very tiny spot.Because laser light stays focused
and does not spread out much, laser beams can travel very long distances. Scientists have even
measured the distance between the moon and Earth using lasers. By measuring the amount of time it
takes for a laser beam to travel to the moon and back, astronomers can tell exactly how far away it
is.Lasers have many uses.
 They are used in precision tools and can cut through diamonds or thick metal. They can also be
designed to help in delicate surgeries. Lasers are used for recording and retrieving information. They are
used in communications and in carrying TV and internet signals. Lasers are also used in instruments
called spectrometers. Spectrometers can help scientists figure out what things are made of. For
example, the Curiosity rover uses a laser spectrometer to see what kinds of chemicals are in certain
rocks on Mars.
Q 30.B
Statement 1 is incorrect. El Nino Modoki is a coupled ocean atmosphere phenomenon in the tropical
Pacific. It is associated with strong anomalous warming in the central tropical Pacific and cooling in the
eastern and western tropical Pacific.
Statement 2 is correct. During El Nino Modoki, one of the descending limbs of the walker cell is over the
Bay of Bengal which causes dry conditions not conducive for cyclone formation. On the other hand,
there is large convergence over the Arabian Sea during an El Nino Modoki explaining the large number of
cyclones in that region.
Q 31.C
 Recently International Road Assessment Programme has launched India Road Assessment Programme
(IndiaRAP) that will rate highways’ safety levels, and seek to eliminate the most unsafe roads.

 About the Programme: International Road Assessment Program (IRAP) is a charity which is dedicated
towards preventing road accidents and making roads safe. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement
2 is correct.
 iRAP works in partnership with government and non-government organisations to: 1)inspect high-risk
roads and develop Star Ratings and Safer Roads Investment Plans 2) provide training, technology and
support that will build and sustain national, regional and local capability track road safety performance
so that funding agencies can assess the benefits of their investments.
 The IndiaRAPprogramme is being supported by FedEx Express and will be hosted by the Asian Institute of
Transport Development. It will also build local capacity and expertise by connecting Indian road safety
experts with colleagues from around the world.
Q 32.D
Statement 1 is correct. Karewas are the thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with
moraines. They are lacustrine deposits of sand, clay, loam, silt and boulders.
Statement 2 is correct. Karewas are suitable for cultivation of cash crops like saffron, almond and
walnut.
Statement 3 is correct. Karewas are found in Kashmir or Northwestern Himalayas.
Q 33.A
Intertidal tropical and subtropical regions between latitudes 24-degree North to 38-degree South bear
halophytic vegetation called Mangroves. They are marshy areas found in tropical deltas and saline ponds
near sea shore. They protect coastal areas from storm surge and tsunami. Mangroves are therefore
considered as most productive wetlands, but they are increasingly threatened due to biotic
pressure, changing land use pattern, natural calamities, increase human population in coastal
areas and rising demand of mangroves for timber, fodder, fuelwood and other non-wood forest
products.
Q 34.D
The Government of India and the World Bank signed a $250 million loan agreement to support India’s
efforts to better equip its young workforce with employable skills so that youth who enter the labor
market every year can contribute to India’s economic growth and prosperity.
Around 12 million young people (age group 15–29 years) are moving into the labor force every year with
various levels of educational qualifications. The Skill India Mission Operation (SIMO) will focus on
providing skills training opportunities for adult workers between the ages 15 to 59 (underemployed or
unemployed), who are either illiterate or who have completed primary education or less. The Program
will also increase the market relevance of short-term skill development programs (3-12 months or up to
600 hours) at the national and state level. A special focus of the program will be to provide placement
and entrepreneurship opportunities to women and increase their exposure to skills training.
SIMO which is a six-year program in support of the Government of India’s skill development strategy as
outlined in the National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (2017–2023), will be
implemented through the National Skill Development Mission (NSDM) and specifically target labor
market entrants. The program will support the national implementing bodies like the National Skills
Development Agency and the National Skills Development Corporation in improving the quality and
relevance of the existing skill development programs.
Q 35.A
West Coast of India is both emergent and submergent in nature. Malabar coast (part of Western coast)
is an emergent coastline. It has got certain distinguishing features in the form of ‘Kayals’ (backwaters),
which are used for fishing, inland navigation and also due to its special attraction for tourists. Every year
the famous Nehru Trophy Vallamkali (boat race) is held in PunnamadaKayal in Kerala. Hence, A is the
correct answer.
Q 36.D
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister has given its approval for
continuation of Centrally Sponsored Scheme of RashtriyaUchchatarShikshaAbhiyan (RUSA) from
1.04.2017 to 31.03.2020.
RUSA is an overarching scheme, operated in a mission mode for funding the state universities and
colleges in order to achieve the aims of equity, access and excellence. It seeks to improve the overall
quality of existing State higher educational institutions by ensuring their conformity to prescribed
norms and standards.
Major impact and Targets:
 RUSA seeks to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education of the country to 30% by
2020,
 It also seeks to increase the spending on higher education by the State Governments,
 The scheme, in its 2nd phase, aims at creation of 70 new model degree colleges and 8 new
professional colleges; Enhancing quality and Excellence in 10 select State universities and 70
autonomous colleges, providing infrastructural support to 50 universities and 750 colleges etc.
 Improving access, equity and accessibility of higher education in Slates through reforms such as
academic reforms, governance reforms, affiliation reforms etc.
 Improve equity in higher education by providing adequate opportunities of higher education to
socially deprived communities; promote inclusion of women, minorities, SC/ST/OBCs and differently
abled persons,
 To identity and fill up the existing gaps in higher education, by augmenting and supporting the State
Governments' efforts,
 Promote a spirit of healthy competition amongst states and institutions to excel in quality higher
education, research and innovation.
The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Q 37.D
Representation of People Act 1951 specifies Corrupt Practices (under Sec 123) and Electoral Offences
(Sec 125-136). Acts like Bribery, appeal to vote on basis of religion, promotion of Sati etc are considered
Corrupt Practices and Acts like filing false affidavits, publishing results of exit polls during elections etc
are covered under Electoral Offences.However, the two sets are not mutually exclusive, i.e. some acts
like Bribery, booth capturing and promoting enmity between two communities are considered as both-
Corrupt Practices and Electoral Offences • Promoting enmity between communities on the basis of
religion, class, caste, language etc. is both an Electoral Offence (under Sec 125) and a Corrupt Practice
(under Sec 123 (3A)) under RPA. • Publishing Exit or Opinion polls during elections is an Electoral
Offence under Sec 126 • Filing false affidavits or concealing information in affidavits is an Electoral
Offence under Sec 125(A). Therefore, all three options are correct.
Q 38.B
The tank irrigation is practised mainly in peninsular India due to the following reasons:
 The undulating relief and hard rock’s make it difficult to dig canals and wells.
 There is little percolation of rain water due to hard rock structure and ground water is not available
in large quantity.
 Most of the rivers of this region are seasonal and dry up in summer season. Therefore, they cannot
supply water to canals throughout the year.
 There are several streams which become torrential during rainy season. The only way to make best
use of this water is to impound it by constructing bunds and building tanks. Otherwise this water
would go waste to the sea.
 The scattered nature of population and agricultural fields also favours tank irrigation.
Q 39.C
o Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) is a budget-announced scheme and was approved
by the Minister of Rural Development on May 6th, 2015 as a sub-scheme under the National Rural
Livelihoods Mission and the guidelines were issued on 15th June 2015.
o The objective of SVEP is to help the rural poor come out of poverty by helping them set up enterprises
and provide support till the enterprises stabilize. It focuses on providing sustainable livelihoods and
self-employment opportunities with financial assistance and training in business management of soft
skills while creating local community cadre for promotion of enterprises.
o The programme is expected to promote 1.8 lakh enterprises in 125 blocks in 24 states in four years and
create employment for 3.78 lakh rural poor in four years from 2015.
Q 40.A
WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) classifies domestic support or subsidies given by the government
to farmers into different categories. An important type of subsidies or supports is Aggregate
Measurement of Support (AMS). The AMS represents trade distorting domestic support and is referred
as the “amber box”.
The AMS means annual level of support (subsidies) expressed in monetary terms, provided for an
agricultural product in favour of the producers (product specific) of the basic agricultural
product and non-product specific support provided in favour of agricultural producers in general.
As per the WTO provision, AMS is a trade distorting subsidy. Since it distorts trade by directly influencing
production and price in an economy, the AMS is categorized as a ‘reducible’, ‘non permissible’ or ‘non-
exempted’ subsidy.
India and China jointly submitted a proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) calling for the
elimination - by developed countries - of the most trade-distorting form of farm subsidies which is
known as Aggregate Measurement Support or Amber box subsidy.
Q 41.D
Statement 1 is not correct. The Constitution, under Article 239AA, establishes the Union Territory of
Delhi and its legislature. It does not provide for High Court of Delhi. High Court of Delhi was established
by enacting the Delhi High Court Act, 1966.
Statement 2 is not correct. Article 241 of the Constitution states-Parliament by law can establish High
Court of any Union Territory. Hence no Constitutional amendment is required.
Q 42.D
Strait of Gibraltar connects Mediterranean Sea with Atlantic Ocean.
Dardanelles Strait connects sea of marmara and aegean sea.
Makassar Strait connects Celebes Sea with Java Sea.
Q 43.C
An index-linked bond is a bond in which payment of interest income on the principal is related to a
specific price index, usually the Consumer Price Index. This feature provides protection to investors by
shielding them from changes in the underlying index. The bond's cash flows are adjusted to ensure that
the holder of the bond receives a known real rate of return. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
A bond investor holds a bond with a fixed level of interest rate. The interest payments, known as
coupons, are usually paid semi-annually and represent the bondholder’s return on investing in the bond.
However, as time goes by, inflation also increases, thereby, eroding the value of the investor’s annual
return. This is unlike returns on equity and property, in which dividend and rental income increases with
inflation. To mitigate the impact of inflation, index-linked bonds are issued by the government. Hence,
statement 2 is correct.
Q 44.D
Indian scientists have developed a super critical carbon di oxide Brayton test loop facility that would
help generate clean energy from future power plants including solar thermal. This next generation
technology loop was developed indigenously by Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. This is India’s first
test-bed for next generation, efficient, compact, waterless super critical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle
test loop for power generation. The technology is perhaps the first test loop coupled with solar heat
source in the world. The new generation high efficiency power plants with closed cycle CO2 as the
working fluid have the potential to replace steam based nuclear and thermal power plants, thus
reducing the carbon foot print significantly. The term “supercritical” describes the state of carbon
dioxide above its critical temperature of 31°C and critical pressure of 73 atmospheres making it twice as
dense as steam.

Q 45.A
Syrian Desert, also known as Badiyat Al-Sham, is an arid wasteland of southwestern Asia, extending
northward from the Arabian Peninsula over much of northern Saudi Arabia, eastern Jordan, southern
Syria, and western Iraq. Receiving on the average less than 5 inches (125 mm) of rainfall annually and
largely covered by lava flows, it formed a nearly impenetrable barrier between the populated areas of
the Levant and Mesopotamia until modern times; several major motor routes and oil pipelines now
bisect it. In the late 1970s, there was much oil exploration. The desert, the southern sector of which is
commonly known as Al-Ḥammad, is inhabited by several nomadic tribes and breeders of Arabian horses.
Q 46.D
NASA is developing the first-ever mission that will deflect a near-Earth asteroid, and help test the
systems that will allow mankind to protect the planet from potential cosmic body impacts in the future.
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) — which is being designed and would be built and
managed by the John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory — is moving from concept development to
preliminary design phase, the US space agency said.
DART would be NASA’s first mission to demonstrate what’s known as the kinetic impactor technique —
striking the asteroid to shift its orbit — to defend against a potential future asteroid impact.
The target for DART is an asteroid that will have a distant approach to Earth in October 2022, and then
again in 2024.
Q 47.C
o Government of India (GOI) has approved a new Central Sector Scheme – PradhanMantriKisan SAMPADA
Yojana (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) with an
allocation of Rs. 6,000 crore for the period 2016-20 coterminous with the 14th Finance Commission
cycle. The scheme will be implemented by Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
o PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana is a comprehensive package which will result in creation of modern
infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet. It will not only
provide a big boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country but also help in providing
better returns to farmers and is a big step towards doubling of farmers income, creating huge
employment opportunities especially in the rural areas, reducing wastage of agricultural produce,
increasing the processing level and enhancing the export of the processed foods.
Q 48.A
 The Communal Award was announced by the British Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, in August
1932. The Muslims, Sikhs and Christians had already been recognised as minorities. The Communal
Award declared the depressed classes also to be minorities, and entitled them to separate electorates.
 Gandhi saw the Communal Award as an attack on Indian unity and nationalism. He thought it was
harmful to both Hinduism and to the depressed classes since it provided no answer to the socially
degraded position of the depressed classes. Gandhi demanded that the depressed classes be elected
through joint and if possible a wider electorate through universal franchise, while expressing no
objection to the demand for a larger number of reserved seats.
 Poona Pact was signed by B.R. Ambedkar on behalf of the depressed classes in September 1932, the Pact
abandoned separate electorates for the depressed classes. But the seats reserved for the depressed
classes were increased from 71 to 147 in provincial legislatures and 18 per cent of the total in the central
legislature. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
 The Poona Pact was accepted by the Government as an amendment to the Communal Award. Hence,
statement 2 is not correct.
Q 49.A
Ministry of Human Resource Development has approved ‘Study in India’ programme with primary
objective is to target foreign students by branding India as an attractive education destination. As per
the existing Government framework, provision of 10-15% supernumerary seats for foreign students is
there. ‘Study in India’ programme would target the foreign students to be admitted as per this provision,

which would not have any adverse impact on the number of seats/ admission of Indian
students. Following are the other objectives of the programme:
1. To improve the soft power of India with focus on the neighboring countries and use it as a tool in
diplomacy.
2. To boost the number of inbound International students in India.
3. To double India’s market share of global education exports from less than 1 percent to 2 percent.
4. Increase in contribution of international student in the form of direct spends, indirect spends, spillover
effects.
5. Improvement in overall quality of higher education.
6. Increase in global ranking of India as educational destination.
7. To reduce the export – Import imbalance in the number of International students.
8. Growth of India’s global market share of International students.
To familiarizes Indian-origin youth (18-30 years) with their Indian roots and contemporary India is the
objectives Know Your India programme not of this programme.
Q 50.D
Animal Welfare Board of India is a statutory body established with headquarters at Chennai. Its basic
mandate is to advise the government on animal welfare issues, and create awareness in animal welfare
and to implement the regular schemes of AWBI and also the central sector schemes for the welfare of
animals. General Animal Welfare covers the welfare of individual animals, mainly domesticated, as also
wild animals in captivity, through Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). One of the most important
functions of the Board is to provide financial assistance to the recognised Animal Welfare
Organisations (AWOs). Hence, the answer is (d).
Q 51.B
Government is implementing the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) with a view to
enhance the ecological sustainability of India’s development path and address climate change. NAPCC
comprises, inter alia, of eight National Missions in specific areas of Solar Energy, Enhanced Energy
Efficiency, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Sustaining the Himalayan Eco-system, Green India, Sustainable
Agriculture and Strategic knowledge for Climate Change.
4 new Missions:
 Wind Mission
 Mission on dealing with climate impacts on human health
 Mission on India’s coastal areas
 waste-to-energy mission
Hence, the answer is (b).
Q 52.D
The National Wildlife Action Plan focuses on preservation of genetic diversity and sustainable
development. The NWAP has five components, 17 themes, 103 conservation actions and 250 projects.
The Minister also launched the India Wildlife Mobile App to mark the occasion.
The five components are – strengthening and promoting the integrated management of wildlife and
their habitats; adaptation to climate change and promoting integrated sustainable management of
aquatic biodiversity in India; promoting eco-tourism, nature education and participatory management;
strengthening wildlife research and monitoring of development of human resources in wildlife
conservation and enabling policies and resources for conservation of wildlife in India. The Plan will help
to mainstream wildlife conservation in development planning processes. Hence options (a), (b) and (c)
are the components of NWAP.
The statement given in option (d) is one of the targets under Goal 12 (Ensure sustainable consumption
and production patterns) of Sustainable Development Goals.
Q 53.A
 In a significant step towards realisation of the Prime Minister’s vision for creation of a New India by
2022, Government has identified 115 backward districts for rapid transformation by 2022. For each of
the Districts, a senior official in the rank of Additional secretary and Joint secretary has been
nominated as Prabhari officer. Prabhari officers would take it up as a challenge and succeed in their
mission by making a difference in the lives of millions of citizens in these districts. While 35 Districts have
been selected on the basis of reported violence by Left Wing Extremism, 55 districts out of 115 are
affected by Left Wing extremism and another 15, including districts in J&K and North East are affected
by terrorism.
Q 54.D
 Department of Animal husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (Ministry of Agriculture and Family Welfare) in
co-operation with 12 States has undertaken a Mass Embryo Transfer programme in Indigenous Breeds
under the scheme, National Mission on Bovine Productivity. Under this programme, embryos of higher
genetic merit indigenous bovines are being transferred in to surrogate cows. Embryos of Indigenous
breeds such as Sahiwal, Gir, Red Sindhi, Ongole, Deoni and Vechur have been proposed to be transferred
under this programme.
 It has been planned to carry out 440 embryo transfers during October 2-10, 2017 throughout the
country. The programme is implemented with the objective of conservation and development of
indigenous breeds under RashtriyaGokul Mission.
 Through the use of ETT, (i) a farmer can get a 5-6 fold increase in number of offsprings , (ii) the calves so
born will be of high genetic merit and (iii) the offsprings born will be free from diseases. Hence, all
statements are correct.
Q 55.A
 In 1175, Muhammad Ghori captured Multan and occupied whole of Sind in his subsequent expeditions.
In 1186 he attacked Punjab, captured it from Khusru Malik and annexed it to his dominions. The
annexation of Punjab carried his dominion eastward to the Sutlej and led his invasion of the Chauhan
kingdom.
 Realising their grave situation, the Hindu princes of north India formed a confederacy under the
command of PrithivirajChauhan. Prithviraj rose to the occasion, and defeated Ghori in the battle of
Tarain near Delhi in 1191 A.D. Muhammad Ghori felt greatly humiliated by this defeat.
 In the ensuing Second Battle of Tarain in 1192, Muhammad Ghori thoroughly routed the army of
Prithiviraj, who was captured and killed. The second battle of Tarain was a decisive battle. It was a major
disaster for the Rajputs. Their political prestige suffered a serious setback. The whole Chauhan kingdom
now lay at the feet of the invader. The Battles of Tarain contributed to the establishment of Turkish rule
in India. Hence, option (a) is correct.
 Agra was occupied by Sher Shah Suri in 1540 by defeating Humanyun in the Battle of Kanauj.
 TipuSulatan was killed in the Third Anglo-Mysore war (1790-92)
 Mughal empire was established by Babur after defeating Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat in
1526.
Q 56.B
Statement 1 is not correct and statement 2 is correct: e-Sanad is a project aimed at online
submission/verification of documents with an ultimate object to extend contact less, cashless, faceless
and paperless document attestation service for apostille and normal attestation to applicants in India (to
be extended to Indians residing abroad as well in a phased manner). It is designed and developed by NIC.
Any type of document viz personal, educational or commercial can be authenticated/apostilled using e-
Sanad. The document should be available in the digital repository for getting attestation/apostille
through e-Sanad. The e-Sanad service will start with CBSE depository (documents of years 2014 &
onwards) and verification of these CBSE documents would be done online.
Q 57.D
The megadiverse countries, first used in the 1990s, are a group of countries that harbor the majority of
the Earth's species and are therefore considered extremely biodiverse. Conservation International
identified 17 megadiverse countries in 1998. The identified Megadiverse Countries are: United States of

America, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, South
Africa, Madagascar, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, China and Australia.
Hence, the answer is (d).
Q 58.C
The term 'Forest Area' (or recorded forest area) generally refers to all the geographic areas recorded as
forest in government records. Recorded forest areas largely comprise Reserved Forests (RF) and
Protected Forests (PF), which have been constituted under the provisions of Indian Forest Act, 1927.
Besides RFs and PFs, the recorded forest area may include all such areas, which have been recorded as
forests in the revenue records or have been constituted so under any State Act or local laws. Hence,
statement 2 is correct.
On the other hand, the term 'Forest Cover' as used in the 'SFR' refers to all lands more than one hectare
in area, having a tree canopy density of more than 10%. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
Thus the term 'forest area' denotes the legal status of the land as per the government records, whereas
the term 'forest cover' indicates presence of trees over any land.
Q 59.C
Central Information Commission: Ministry of Personnel
Zonal Councils: Ministry of Home Affairs
Central Social Welfare Board: Ministry of Women and Child Development
Hence, pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched.
Q 60.C
Nicobar Megapode is listed as Vulnerable in IUCN Red list data and it is endemic to the Nicobar Islands
and it become regionally extinct from Myanmar. It inhabits forests and secondary growth, with the
greatest concentrations in coastal forests. The key threat is the loss of coastal forest through conversion
to agriculture (coconut, banana and cashew plantations and rice-paddy cultivation), road development
projects, which threaten to fragment habitat blocks, particularly on Great Nicobar, and settlement
expansion.
Wild Ass (Asiatic Wild Ass)- historically, it ranged throughout the steppes and desert steppes of the
Russian Federation, Mongolia, northern China, northwest India, Central Asia, the Middle East, including
Iran, the Arabian Peninsula and Asia Minor. At present, it is extinct in most of the ranges. The highest
population is in Southern Mongolia. In India, the species survives as isolated populations in the Little
Rann of Kutch.
Asian Wild Buffalo is listed as endangered in IUCN Red list data. It is native of Bhutan; Cambodia; India;
Myanmar; Nepal; Thailand. It has become extinct from Bangladesh; Indonesia; Lao People's Democratic
Republic; Sri Lanka.
Q 61.C
Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched ‘e-Tribes: Tribes India’, an initiative for digital commerce for Tribes.
It included launch of e-commerce portal of TRIFED and M-commerce, android app ‘Tribes India’. With
this, more than 55 thousand tribal artisans connected to TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing
Development Federation of India) will get access to local as well as International markets. It will
promote e-commerce for tribal artisans, which will in turn provide a window to National & International
markets. TRIBES India has now started marketing tribal handicrafts on e-commerce portals namely,
Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and GeM, which will prove to be a game changer for tribal artisans. Hence,
both the statements are correct.
Q 62.C
 Recently, the President of India inaugurated the Global Clubfoot Conference, organised by the CURE
India in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Clubfoot is
one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects. It can cause permanent disability if not treated
early. This affects the child’s mobility and confidence. Inevitably, education and schooling suffer – and
the child cannot fulfil his or her potential.
 Clubfoot describes a range of foot abnormalities usually present at birth (congenital) in which a baby's
foot is twisted out of shape or position. In clubfoot, the tissues connecting the muscles to the bone
(tendons) are shorter than usual. Clubfoot is a fairly common birth defect and is usually an isolated
problem for an otherwise healthy newborn.
 Recently, it was also in news as scientists at the University of Aberdeen believe they have identified a
gene which may cause the most severe cases of club foot.
Q 63.C
Statement 1 is correct. The SDR scheme was introduced by the RBI in June 2015 to help banks recover
their loans from defaulting companies.
Statement 2 is correct. The SDR initiative can be taken by the group of banks or JLF that have given loans
to the particular defaulted entity. The Joint Lender Forum (JLF) is a committee comprised of the entire
bankers who have given loans to a stressed borrower. Under SDR, JLF gets the right to convert the full or
part of their loans into equity shares in the loan taken company. They can even take over the
management of the company. RBI has recently abolished almost all of the loan restructuring schemes
like SDR, Corporate Debt Restructuring, Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets or S4A etc.
Q 64.C
If a cup with a hole in the bottom is taken and honey is poured into it, it is found that the cup drains very
slowly. If the same cup is filled with water, the cup drains much more quickly. This is because honey's
viscosity is large compared to water's viscosity.
Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. It describes the internal friction of a moving fluid. A
fluid with large viscosity resists motion because its molecular makeup gives it a lot of internal friction. A
fluid with low viscosity flows easily because its molecular makeup results in very little friction when it is
in motion.
Q 65.D
As per Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notification (Part II, section 3) Applicability of
Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 are given as follows:- These rules shall apply to
the following wetlands or wetlands complexes, namely:—
(a) wetlandscategorised as 'wetlands of international importance' under the Ramsar Convention;
(b) wetlands as notified by the Central Government, State Government and Union Territory
Administration;
Q 66.B
 The Gupta monarchs were famous for their gold coins. They also issued silver coins. However, coins
made of copper, bronze or any other alloy metals are scarce. The abundance of gold coins from the
Gupta era has led some scholars to regard this phenomenon as the ‘rain of gold’. The Gupta gold coin is
known as dinaras. The gold coins of the Gupta rulers are the extraordinary examples of artistic
excellence. The coins depicted the ruling monarch on the obverse and carried legends with the figure of
a goddess on the reverse.
Q 67.C
The constitutional provisions dealing with the language of the courts and legislation are as follows:
1. Until Parliament provides otherwise, the following are to be in the English language only:
(a) All proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every high court.
(b) The authoritative texts of all bills, acts, ordinances, orders, rules, regulations and bye-laws at the
Central and state levels.
2. However, the governor of a state, with the previous consent of the President, can authorise the use
of Hindi or any other official language of the state, in the proceedings in the high court of the state,
but not with respect to the judgements, decrees and orders passed by it. In other words, the
judgements, decrees and orders of the high court must continue to be in English only (until Parliament
otherwise provides).
3. Similarly, a state legislature can prescribe the use of any language (other than English) with respect to
bills, acts, ordinances, orders, rules, regulations or bye-laws, but a translation of the same in the English
language is to be published.
Q 68.A
 The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India has constituted a National
Steering Committee to initiate a National Programme on “Scientific Validation and Research on
Panchgavya” (SVAROP). Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), an autonomous
Ayurvedic research organization of the Central Government, has undertaken study to evaluate the
immune-modulatory activity and safety/toxicity of PanchgavyaGhrita, which is an Ayurvedic formulation
made from cow’s five products (milk, curd, ghee, urine and dung) as mentioned in Ayurvedic classical
texts and Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I.
Q 69.B
 The earliest known urban culture of the Indian subcontinent existed in the Indus valley from about 2500
BC to about 1700 BC. Its main centers, most of which are now in Pakistan, were Mohenjo-daro, Harappa,
Lothal, etc.
 Harappa was an Indus civilization urban center. It lies in Punjab Province, Pakistan, on an old bed of the
River Ravi. An abundance of terracotta figurines at Harappa provided the first clues in the 19th century
to the ancient Harappan civilization.
 Mohenjo-daro is the best known Indus site. Mohenjo-daro is in Sindh, Pakistan, next to the Indus River.
The Indus may once have flowed to the west of MohenjoDaro, but it is now located to the east. Here the
Great Bath, uniform buildings and weights, hidden drains and other hallmarks of the civilization were
discovered in the 1920's. This is where the most unicorn seals have been found. Due to a rising water
table, most of the site remains unexcavated, and its earliest levels have not been reached.
 Lothal is on the top of the Gulf of Khambat in Gujarat, India, near the Sabarmati River and the Arabian
Sea. It is the most extensively researched Harappan coastal site. A bead factory and Persian Gulf seal
have been found here suggesting that, like many sites on the Gulf of Khambat, it was deeply involved in
trade.

Q 70.C
 The internet of things (IoT) is a computing concept that describes the idea of everyday physical objects
being connected to the internet and being able to identify themselves to other devices. The term is
closely identified with RFID as the method of communication, although it also may include other sensor
technologies, wireless technologies or QR codes. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
 The connected devices act as receiver as well as sender of information and the communication takes
place without the need of any human action. Like if the traffic is heavy your car might send a text to the
other party notifying them that you will be late or when the alarm clock wakes up you at 6 a.m. and then
notifies your coffee maker to start brewing coffee for you. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Q 71.D
 INSV Tarini is an indigenously built sailing vessel which is being used for the first-ever Indian
circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew.
 The expedition titled ‘NavikaSagarParikrama’ is aimed at promoting women empowerment in the
country and ocean sailing by the Indian Navy.
 Additional aims of the Expedition are as follows:- (a) Nari Shakti- In consonance with the National policy
to empower women to attain their full potential. (b) Environment and Climate Change- Sailing
encourages the use of environment friendly non-conventional renewable energy resources which affects
the life of women. (c) The voyage also aims to show case the ‘Make in India’ initiative by sailing onboard
the indigenously built INSV Tarini. (d) Meteorological/ Ocean/ Wave Data Observation-The crew would
also collate and update Meteorological/ Ocean/ Wave data on a daily basis for subsequent analysis by
research and development organisations like the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) (e) Marine
Pollution-The crew would monitor and report marine pollution on the high seas. (f) Interaction with
Local PIOs.
Q 72.A
Fohn is a warm and dry wind on the slopes of Alps.
Harmattan is a warm and dry wind . It blows from north-east and east to west in the eastern parts of
Sahara desert.
Bora is an extremely cold and dry north-easterly wind which blows along the shore of the Adriatic sea.
Mistral is a very cold and dry wind that blows from the Alps over France towards the Mediterranean Sea.
Q 73.D
WSDS is the flagship forum of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and seeks to bring together on a
common platform, global leaders and thinkers in the fields of sustainable development, energy and
environment sectors. Hence statement 1 is correct.
The theme of the Summit this year is ‘Partnerships for a Resilient Planet’, WSDS 2018 seeks to create
action frameworks to resolve some of the most urgent challenges facing developing economies in the
backdrop of climate change. The Summit will address a wide variety of issues, including combating land
degradation, effective waste management mechanisms to make cities free of landfills free, combat air
pollution effectively, measures to increase resource and energy efficiency, facilitate transition to clean
energy and create financial mechanisms to enable effective climate change mitigation. Hence
statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Q 74.A
Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is the world's largest trade association representing
biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations
across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. The BIO International Convention, hosted by
BIO since 1993, is the largest global event for the biotechnology industry and attracts the biggest names
in biotech, offers key networking and partnering opportunities, and provides insights and inspiration on
the major trends affecting the industry. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) BIO 2017 was held in San Diego, USA in June,
2017. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Q 75.A
 Statement 1 is correct: The Servants of India Society was formed in Pune, Maharashtra, on June 12,
1905 by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, who left the Deccan Education Society to form this association.
 Statement 2 is correct: One of its objectives was to unite and train Indians of different ethnicities and
religions in welfare work. It was a secular organisation.
 Statement 3 is not correct: Gokhale wanted Gandhi to join the Servants of India Society. But it never
happened. Gandhi decided to establish the Sabarmati Ashram, for which Gokhale gave funds. Gokhale
also funded his one-year trip around India so that he could discover the country.
Q 76.D
Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions: This committee classifies bills and allocates time
for the discussion on bills and resolutions introduced by private members. This is a special committee of
the LokSabha and consists of 15 members including the Deputy Speaker as its chairman. The
RajyaSabha does not have any such committee. The same function in the RajyaSabha is performed by
the Business Advisory Committee of that House.
Committee on Public Undertakings: This committee was created in 1964 on the recommendation of the
Krishna Menon Committee. Originally, it had 15 members (10 from the LokSabha and 5 from the
RajyaSabha). However, in 1974, its membership was raised to 22 (15 from the LokSabha and 7 from the
RajyaSabha).
Estimates Committee: The origin of this committee can be traced to the standing financial committee
set up in 1921. The first Estimates Committee in the post independence era was constituted in 1950 on
the recommendation of John Mathai, the then finance minister. Originally, it had 25 members but in
1956 its membership was raised to 30. All the thirty members are from LokSabha only. The RajyaSabha
has no representation in this committee.
Committee on Absence of Members: This committee considers all applications from members for leave
of absence from the sittings of the House, and examines the cases of members who have been absent
for a period of 60 days or more without permission. It is a special committee of the LokSabha and
consists of 15 members. There is no such committee in the RajyaSabha and all such matters are dealt
by the House itself.
Q 77.A
A tidal bore occurs along a coast where a river empties into an ocean or sea. A tidal bore is a strong tide
that pushes up the river, against the current. A tidal bore is a true tidal wave. Thus (a) is the correct
answer.
A tidal bore is a surge. A surge is a sudden change in depth. When a channel suddenly gets deeper, it
experiences a positive surge. When a channel suddenly gets shallower, it experiences a negative surge.
Tidal bores are positive surges.Not all coasts feature tidal bores. In fact, there are few places where tidal
bores occur. The river must be fairly shallow. It must have a narrow outlet to the sea. However, the
estuary, or place where the river meets the sea, must be wide and flat. The coast’s tidal range—the area
between high tide and low tide—must be quite large, usually at least 6 meters (about 20 feet). When all
of these conditions are met, a tidal bore is formed. Tidal bores are less predictable. The development of
tidal bores depends on a number of factors, including wind and the depth of the river. A change in a
river’s depth can be affected by rainfall or shipping traffic. Tidal bores can occur every day, like the tidal
bore of the Batang River in Malaysia, called the benak. Other tidal bores, like the pororoca, occur during
spring tides. Spring tides happen during new moons and full moons, when tides are strongest. Tidal
bores almost never occur during neap tides. Neap tides happen during quarter moons, when tides are
weakest. A tidal bore takes place during the flood tide and never during the ebb tide (Tidal bores almost
never occurs during neap tides. Neap tides happen during quarter moons, when tides are weakest).
Q 78.A
 Astigmatism is a common condition that causes blurred vision. It occurs when the cornea (the clear
front cover of the eye) is irregularly shaped or sometimes because of the curvature of the lens inside the
eye. An irregularly shaped cornea or lens prevents light from focusing properly on the retina, the light-
sensitive surface at the back of the eye. As a result, vision becomes blurred at any distance. This can lead
to eye discomfort and headaches.
 Most people have some degree of astigmatism. Slight astigmatism usually doesn't affect vision or
require treatment.
 Astigmatism frequently occurs with other vision conditions like myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia
(farsightedness). Together these vision conditions are referred to as refractive errors because they affect
how the eyes bend or 'refract' light.
Q 79.C
Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) is a tool utilized for selecting plants or shrubs for specific
applications, for example, mitigation of impacts in urban heat.Laboratory analysis is performed on the
four physiological and biological parameters including leaf relative water content (RWC), ascorbic acid
(AA) content, total leaf chlorophyll (TCH) and leaf extract pH. These parameters were used to develop an
air pollution tolerance index.
Mathematical Relation APTI = {[A(T+P)]+R}/10 , where A-ascorbic acid mg/g T- total chlorophyll mg/g, P-
pH of the leaf extract and R - relative water content in percentage.
High water content within plant body helps to maintain its physiological balance under stress conditions
such as exposure to air pollution when the transpiration rates are usually high. It also serves as an
indicator of drought resistance in plants.
Chlorophyll is an index of productivity of plant. Chlorophyll content of plants signifies its photosynthetic
activity as well as the growth and development of biomass.
Plants with lower pH are more susceptible, while those with pH around 7 are more tolerant.
Q 80.B
'Electoral Bond is a financial instrument for making donations to political parties. These are issued by
Scheduled Commercial banks upon authorisation from the Central Government to intending donors, but
only against cheque and digital payments.
An electoral bond is designed to be like a Promissory Note and it will be similar to a bank note that is
payable to the bearer on demand and free of interest.
The bonds will be issued in multiples of ₹1,000, ₹ 10,000, ₹1 lakh, ₹
10 lakh and ₹1 crore and will be
available at specified branches of State Bank of India.
The bonds will be available for purchase for a period of 10 days each in the beginning of every quarter,
i.e. in January, April, July and October as specified by the Central Government. Additional period of 30
days shall be specified by the Central Government in the year of LokSabha elections.
A donor will get a tax deduction and the the political party will get tax exemption, provided returns
are filed by the political party.
Q 81.B
 Option (b) is correct.
 World Economic Forum released its Global Manufacturing Index and placed India on the 30th
position.
 India manufacturing sector has grown by over 7 per cent per year on average in the past three decades
and accounts for 16-20 % of India’s GDP.
 India has room for improvement across the drivers of production except for demand environment where
it is ranked in top 5.
 The report took note of the ‘Make in India’ initiative to transform India into a manufacturing hub and
moving towards a more connected economy with an announcement of a $59 billion investment in
infrastructure in 2017.
 Areas where India is ranked poorly (90th or even lower) include female participation in labour force,
trade tariffs, regulatory efficiency and sustainable resources. The report listed human capital and
sustainable resources as two key challenges for India.
Q 82.D
A thunderstorm is a storm with lightning and thunder. It is produced by a cumulonimbus cloud, usually
producing gusty winds, heavy rain and sometimes hail.
Three basic ingredients are required for a thunderstorm to form: moisture, rising unstable air, and a
lifting mechanism to lift the air. The sun heats the surface of the earth, which warms the air above it. As
the air rises, it transfers heat from the surface of the earth to the upper levels of the atmosphere (the
process of convection). The water vapor it contains begins to cool, releases the heat, condenses and
forms a cloud. The cloud eventually grows upward into areas where the temperature is below freezing.
As a storm rises into freezing air, different types of ice particles can be created from freezing liquid
drops. When two ice particles collide, they grab some electric charge. Lots of these collisions build up big
regions of electric charges to cause a bolt of lightning, which creates the sound waves we hear as
thunder.
Q 83.D
Statement 1 is correct. Ken-Betwa will provide irrigation to an area of 6,35,661 ha annually (3,69,881 ha
in MP and 2,65,780 ha in UP). In addition, the project will provide 49 million cubic meter (MCM) of water
for enroute drinking water supply to population of 13.42 lakh of UP & MP. The project will also generate
78 MW of power.
Statement 2 is correct. The National Water Development Agency was set up in 1982. It is the nodal
agency for carrying out interlinking of rivers. Some of the major functions of the agency include:
 To prepare feasibility report of the various components of the scheme relating to Peninsular Rivers
development and Himalayan Rivers development.
 To prepare detailed project report of river link proposals under National Perspective Plan for Water
Resources Development after concurrence of the concerned States.
 To undertake/construct/repair/renovate/rehabilitate/implement the projects either on its own or
through an appointed Agency/Organization/PSU or Company and the projects forming part of
Interlinking of Rivers, for completion of projects falling under PradhanMantriKrishiSinchaiYojana
(PMKSY) of which projects under Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) are also included
and similar other project.
Statement 3 is correct. Ken-Betwariver linking project has been declared a national project. Under such
status, the states would be spared from funding obligation on major heads. The national project is
eligible for 90% grant for the cost of work of irrigation and drinking water components of the project.
Besides, the progress of work on 'national project' is monitored by a high-powered steering committee
chaired by Union water resources secretary.
Q 84.C
 Statement 1 is not correct and statement 2 is correct: Copernicus Programme is the European Union's
Earth Observation Programme. It delivers near-real-time data on a global level which can also be used
for local and regional needs. It offers information services based on satellite Earth Observation and in
situ (non-space) data. Copernicus is served by the Sentinel family of satellites and other contributing
missions (existing commercial and public satellites) in gathering data from space.Copernicus also collects
information from in situ systems such as ground stations, which deliver data acquired by a multitude of
sensors on the ground, at sea or in the air.
 The space-based information will be used for forecasting disasters, providing emergency response and
rescue of people during disasters; to glean land, ocean data; and for issues of security, agriculture,
climate change and atmosphere.The main users of Copernicus services are policymakers and public
authorities who need the information to develop environmental legislation and policies or to take critical
decisions in the event of an emergency, such as a natural disaster or a humanitarian crisis.
 Statement 3 is correct: Recently, India joined the Copernicus Programme. Data from Indian remote
sensing satellites will be available to the European Copernicus programme while designated Indian
institutional users will in return get to access free data from the Copernicus System.
Q 85.A
 Statement 1 is correct and 2 is not correct: Global Initiative on Academic Network(GIAN) in Higher
Education is a scheme of HRD Ministry launched in 2015. It aimed at tapping the talent pool of scientists
and entrepreneurs, internationally to encourage their engagement with the institutes of Higher
Education in India so as to augment the country's existing academic resources, accelerate the pace of
quality reform, and elevate India's scientific and technological capacity to global excellence. Its objective
is to increase footfalls of reputed international faculty to Indian academic institutes and thereby bring in
international academic excellence in India’s higher education institutions. It facilitates participation of
high quality international academicians for delivering short-term courses and programs in Indian
institutions.
 The NITI Aayog has launched first course on Sustainable Urban planning using remote sensing and
Geographic Information System (GIS) at IIT Kanpur’s out-reach centre in Noida. This is first course
conducted under Global Initiative on Academic Network (GIAN) Program of Union Ministry of Human
Resource Development. It is actively supported by NITI Aayog and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Q 86.C
Statement 1 is incorrect. RBI does not regulates all NBFCs in India. NBFCs are engaged in a wide range of
activities like insurance, finance, merchant banking, alternate investment etc. RBI regulates only those
NBFCs that are engaged in bank like activities performing credit intermediation and satisfying certain
criterias. Many NBFCs are regulated by other regulators. For example, NBFCs that perform activities of
Venture Fund, Mutual Fund etc are regulated by SEBI.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Earlier, NABARD was jointly held by GoI (99% ownership) and RBI (1%
ownership). However, after the passing of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
(Amendment) Bill, 2017, RBI’s ownership has been transferred to GoI. Now NABARD is wholly owned by
GoI
Q 87.B
Statement 1 is incorrect. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is an agency of the Ministry of Earth
Sciences of the Government of India.
Statement 2 is correct. IMD is entrusted with the following objectives:
 To provide meteorological statistics required for agriculture, water resource management,
industries, oil exploration and other nation-building activities.
 To warn against severe weather phenomena like tropical cyclones, norwesters, duststorms, heavy
rains and snow, cold and heat waves, etc., which cause destruction of life and property.
 To provide meteorological statistics required for agriculture, water resource management,
industries, oil exploration and other nation-building activities.
 To conduct and promote research in meteorology and allied disciplines.
 To detect and locate earthquakes and to evaluate seismicity in different parts of the country for
development projects.
Statement 3 is correct. IMD has shifted to dynamical model for forecasting monsoon from 2017. It works
by simulating the weather on powerful computers and extrapolating it over particular timeframes.
Q 88.D
Statement 1 is correct. The most commonly used unit for measuring Ocean salinity is part per thousand
or ppt. For e.g. salinity of Indian ocean varies from 32-37 ppt.
Statement 2 is correct. Due to the free movement of Ocean water, the proportions of different salts
remain constant in all oceans. The principle of constant proportions states that regardless of variations
in salinity, the ratios between the amount of major ions in seawater is constant.
Statement 3 is correct. The salinity of ocean water varies from place to place. Waters of high salinity are
denser that waters of low salinity. Hence, waters of low salinity flow on the surface of waters of high
salinity while waters of high salinity flow at the bottom towards water of low salinity. For example,
salinity of the Mediterranean Sea is much higher than the adjoining Atlantic Ocean. Consequently, water
sinks in the Mediterranean Sea. In order to compensate the loss of water, water from Atlantic ocean
flows as surface current into the Mediterranean Sea. The sinking water in the Mediterranean Sea moves
as subsurface current towards the Atlantic Ocean.
Q 89.D
Deflation refers to a fall in prices or in other words, the opposite of inflation. Disinflation doesn’t refer to
the direction of prices (as inflation and deflation do), but rather the rate of change: it’s a slowdown in
the rate of inflation. Hence both statements are not correct.
Q 90.D
 The use of totaliser was proposed by the Election Commission of India and the Law Commission
recommended its use in 2015, for preventing voter harassment and hiding voting patterns.The EC first
approached the Law Ministry in 2008 with the proposal to amend the Conduct of Election rules,1961 to
introduce totaliser machine on counting day. Advocates of the machines are also of the view that it
would even help in maintaining secrecy of voting stations which listed only a handful or single
voters.Totaliser machines increase the secrecy of voting by counting votes polled at 14 polling booths
together, as against the current practice of announcing booth-wise results.The machine is expected to
prevent disclosure of voting patterns across polling stations during counting, which will allay the fears
of voters against any pre-poll intimidation or post-poll victimisation by any candidate.
 Hence, option(d) is correct.
Q 91.A
The Constitution makes a provision for the establishment of a Joint State Public Service Commission
(JSPSC) for two or more states. While the UPSC and the SPSC are created directly by the Constitution, a
JSPSC can be created by an act of Parliament on the request of the state legislatures concerned. Thus, a
JSPSC is a statutory and not a constitutional body. The two states of Punjab and Haryana had a JSPSC
for a short period, after the creation of Haryana out of Punjab in 1966.
The chairman and members of a JSPSC are appointed by the President. They hold office for a term of
six years or until they attain the age of 62 years, whichever is earlier. They can be suspended or removed
by the President. They can also resign from their offices at any time by submitting their resignation
letters to the President.
The number of members of a JSPSC and their conditions of service are determined by the President.
A JSPSC presents its annual performance report to each of the concerned state Governors. Each
Governor places the report before the state legislature.
Q 92.C
 In 1772, the Governor of Bengal, Warren Hastings, introduced a system of revenue farming in the
province of Bengal. In this system European District Collectors would‘farm’ out the right to collect
revenue to the highest bidder. This system was a total failure and ruined the cultivators because of the
arbitrarily high revenue demands.
 To undo this disaster, Cornwallis introduced the system of Permanent Settlement in 1793. Under this
system, ‘zamindars’, who earlier only had the right to collect revenue, were established as the
proprietors or owners of land. The state’s demand for land revenue was permanently fixed. But if the
zamindars were unable to pay the full tax on time, their lands would be taken away and auctioned by
the state. Through this system, the state tried to create an enterprising class of landowners, who would
try to improve crop production in their fields to earn profits. Besides, it would be simpler for the state to
deal with a limited number of zamindars than with every peasant, and a powerful section of society
would become loyal to the British administration.
Q 93.A
The State Chief Information Commissioner and a State Information Commissioner hold office for a term
of 5 years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. They are not eligible for
reappointment.
The salaries and allowances payable to and other terms and conditions of service of— (a) the State
Chief Information Commissioner shall be the same as that of an Election Commissioner; (b) the State
Information Commissioner shall be the same as that of the Chief Secretary to the State Government.

The Governor can remove the State Chief Information Commissioner or any State Information
Commissioner from the office under the following circumstances: (a) if he is adjudged an insolvent; or
(b) if he has been convicted of an offence which (in the opinion of the Governor) involves a moral
turpitude; or (c) if he engages during his term of office in any paid employment outside the duties of his
office; or (d) if he is (in the opinion of the Governor) unfit to continue in office due to infirmity of mind or
body; or (e) if he has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his official
functions.
In addition to these, the Governor can also remove the State Chief Information Commissioner or any
State Information Commissioner on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. However, in these
cases, the Governor has to refer the matter to the Supreme Court for an enquiry. If the Supreme Court,
after the enquiry, upholds the cause of removal and advises so, then the Governor can remove him.
Q 94.C
 Women of the Vedic period (circa 1500-1200 BCE), were epitomes of intellectual and spiritual
attainments. The Vedas have volumes to say about these women, who both complemented and
supplemented their male partners.
 Significant female figures of the Vedic period include- Ghosha, Lopamudra, SulabhaMaitreyi, and Gargi.
 Andal was a Bhakti saint who composed hymns in eighth-century Tamil. She was the only woman among
the twelve Alwars – medieval Vaishnavite poets who took the scriptures to the masses, composing
hymns in Tamil that are considered the equivalent of the Sanskrit Vedas.
Q 95.A
Microsoft has launched “Project Brainwave” deep learning acceleration platform for real-time artificial
intelligence (AI). The 'Project Brainwave' uses the massive field-programmable gate array (FPGA)
infrastructure. The system architecture reduces latency, since the CPU does not need to process
incoming requests, and allows very high throughput, with the FPGA processing requests as fast as the
network can stream them. The system is important because real-time AI is becoming increasingly
important as cloud infrastructures process live data streams, whether they be search queries, videos,
sensor streams, or interactions with users. Hence, the answer is (a)
Q 96.A
Microevolution is simply a change in gene frequency within a population. Gene frequency is the
relative frequency of an allele (a variant of a gene) at a particular locus in a population, expressed as a
fraction or percentage. Specifically, it is the fraction of all chromosomes in the population that carry that
allele.Pesticide resistance, herbicide resistance, and antibiotic resistance are all examples of
microevolution by natural selection.
Macroevolution refers to the concept of large-scale evolution that occurs at the level of species and
above. A species that split into two or a species that changes into another species over a given time are
examples of macroevolution. Macroevolution can explain the existence of various types of plants,
mammals, insects, sea creatures and other living things.
Speciation is a lineage-splitting event that produces two or more separate species. It leads to the
formation of new, distinct species that are reproductively isolated from one another.
Q 97.C
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an unmanned, remotely
operated tank which has three variants - surveillance, mine detection and reconnaissance in areas
with nuclear and bio threats. It is called Muntra. Three variants of the unmanned tank Muntra are:
1. Muntra S – This variant has been developed to carry out unmanned surveillance missions.
2. Munta M – This variant has been developed for detecting mines.
3. Muntra N – This variant will be deployed in areas where nuclear radiation or the risk of bio weapons is
high.
Q 98.C
The functions of the Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities are as follows:
1. To investigate all matters related to safeguards provided to the linguistic minorities.
2. To submit to the President of India, the reports on the status of implementation of the
Constitutional and the nationally agreed safeguards for the linguistic minorities.
3. To monitor the implementation of safeguards through questionnaires, visits, conferences, seminars,
meetings, review mechanism, etc.
Q 99.C
Both the statements are correct. Commercial grain farming is an extensive and mechanized form of
agriculture. This is a development in the continental lands of the mid-latitudes, which were once roamed
by nomadic herdsmen. The continental position, well away from maritime influence, and the low
precipitation make crop cultivation a calculated risk. It was the invention of farm machinery which
enabled farmers to cultivate grain on a large scale, and there is a marked specialization in wheat
monoculture and maize in many areas. It is mostly practised in the temperate grasslands of North
America, Europe and Asia. These areas are sparsely populated with large farms spreading over hundreds
of hectares.
Q 100.C
The three-member committee headed by Justice (retd) KailashGambhir submitted its report before the
Supreme Court on the state of affairs of shelter homes in different states and said that as governments
were not using funds the homeless in urban centers were forced to live on the roadside, railway
platforms or under flyovers. It said only Delhi and Mizoram have done fairly well in providing shelters to
such people. Supreme Court has constituted a KailashGambhir committee to inquire about non-
utilization and/or diversion/misutilization of funds allocated for the National Urban Livelihoods Mission
for providing shelters to the urban homeless.
Copyright © by Vision IAS

All rights are reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior
permission of Vision IAS.

Test 31 A

Enviado por

Dados do documento

Direitos autorais

Formatos disponíveis

Compartilhar este documento

Compartilhar ou incorporar documento

Opções de compartilhamento

Você considera este documento útil?

Este conteúdo é inapropriado?

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

Test 31 A

Enviado por

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

VISIONIAS

ANSWERS & EXPLANATION

1 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

2 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

5 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

7 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

10 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

11 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

13 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

16 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

17 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

22 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

Copyright © by Vision IAS

24 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

Você também pode gostar