UPSC Prelims 1996 · GS Paper I

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  1. The meeting of Indian and British political leaders during 1930-32 in London has often been referred to as the First, Second and Third Round Table Conferences. It would be incorrect to refer to them as such because

  2. A redistribution of income in a country can be best brought about through

  3. Who among the following was a prominent leader of the Congress Socialist Party?

  4. Consider the following landmarks in Indian education:

    I) Hindu College, Calcutta

    II) University of Calcutta

    III) Adam’s Report

    IV) Wood’s Despatch The correct chronological order of these landmarks is

  5. Prem Vatika, poems on the life of Krishna, was composed by

  6. As per the 1991 Census, the average size of households in terms of number of persons per household in respect of the given states follows the sequence (highest first, lowest last).

  7. Which one of the following works has recently been made into a full-length feature film?

  8. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:

    List I

    I.Surendranath Bannerjee
    II.M. K. Gandhi
    III.Subhash Chandra Bose
    IV.Lajpat Rai

    List II

    A) Hind Swaraj

    B) The Indian Struggle

    C) Autobiographical Writings

    D) A Nation in Making

    Codes:

  9. Consider the following statements about Jawaharlal Nehru:

    I.He was the President of the Congress Party in 1947.
    II.He presided over the Constituent Assembly.
    III.He formed the first Congress Ministry in United Province before India’s independence.

    Of these statements

  10. Which one of the following is not correct about the Cabinet Mission Plan?

  11. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:

    List I

    I.Abhinav Bharat Society
    II.Anushilan Samiti
    III.Ghadar Party
    IV.Swaraj Party

    List II

    A) Sri Aurobindo Ghosh

    B) Lala Hardayal

    C) C. R. Das

    D) V. D. Savarkar

    Codes:

  12. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:

    List I (Period)

    I.1883
    II.1906
    III.1927
    IV.1932

    List II (Event)

    A) Announcement of Communal Award from Whitehall

    B) Formation of the All-India State Peoples Conference

    C) Foundation of Muslim League at Dacca

    D) First session of National Conference at Calcutta

    Codes:

  13. Consider the following statements: The Non-cooperation Movement led to the

    I.Congress becoming a mass movement for the first time.
    II.Growth of Hindu Muslim unity.
    III.Removal of fear of the British ‘might’ from the minds of the people.
    IV.British government’s willingness to grant political concessions to Indians.

    Of these statements

  14. Which one of the following is an important historical novel written during the latter half of the nineteenth century?

  15. Who among the following suggested the winding up of the Indian National Congress after India attained independence?

  16. According to ancient Indian cosmogonic ideas the sequential order of the cycle of four aeons (Yugas) is

  17. Which one of the following rivers thrice forks into two streams and reunites a few miles farther on, thus forming the islands of Srirangapattnam, Sivasamudram and Srirangam?

  18. If the number of seats allocated to a state in the Lok Sabha is 42, then the number of seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes in that state will be

  19. As per the 1991 Census, which one of the following states has a lower population density than the other three?

  20. In the Indian context the term De-notified tribes refers to

  21. Which one of the following temples figured in the news regarding the institution of the Devadasis?

  22. The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes between the Centre and the States falls under its

  23. Which one of the following is correct regarding stabilization and structural adjustment as two components of the new economic policy adopted in India?

  24. The river most mentioned in early Vedic literature is

  25. Of the four forms of political protests mentioned below, which one is derived from the name of the person who used it as a political weapon for the first time?

  26. According to the World Health Organisation, the disease which causes the death of the largest number of people today is

  27. Assertion (A): An important policy instrument of economic liberalization is reduction in import duties on capital goods.

    Reason (R): Reduction in import duties would help the local entrepreneurs to improve technology to face the global markets.

    In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

  28. Which one of the following is not a part of early Jaina literature?

  29. The Sarabandi (no tax) campaign of 1922 was led by

  30. One of the important goals of the economic liberalisation policy is to achieve full convertibility of the Indian rupee. This is being advocated because

  31. Which of the following were common to both Buddhism and Jainism?

    I.Avoidance of extremities of penance and enjoyment.
    II.Indifference to the authority of the Vedas
    III.Denial of efficacy of rituals
    IV.Non-injury to animal life

    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  32. Which one of the following layers of the atmosphere is responsible for the deflection of radio waves?

  33. The emerging trading blocs in the world, such as NAFTA, ASEAN and the like, are expected to

  34. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:

    List I

    I.Governor General of Presidency of Fort William in Bengal (under Regulating Act, 1773)
    II.Governor General of India (under Charter Act, 1833)
    III.Governor General and Viceroy of India (under Indian Councils Act, 1858)
    IV.Governor General and Crown Representative (under Government of India Act, 1935)

    List II

    A.Archibald Percival Wavell, Viscount and Earl Wavell
    B.James Andrew Broun Ramsay, Earl and Marquess of Dalhousie
    C.Charles Cornwallis, 2nd Earl and first Marquess of Cornwallis
    D.Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmond, Earl of Minto
    E.Louis Mountbatten, Earl Mountbatten of Burma

    Codes:

  35. Which one of the following regions of India is now regarded as an 'ecological hot spot'?

  36. Which of the following were the aims behind the setting up of the World Trade Organization (WTO)?

    I.Promotion of free trade and resource flows across countries.
    II.Protection of intellectual property rights.
    III.Managing balanced trade between different countries.
    IV.Promotion of trade between the former East Bloc countries and the western world.

    Select the correct answer by using the codes given below:

  37. In the context of ancient Indian society, which one of the following terms does not belong to the category of the other three?

  38. Assertion (A): Areas near the equator receive rainfall throughout the year.

    Reason (R): High temperatures and high humidity cause convectional rain in most afternoons near the equator.

    In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

  39. Which one of the following first mooted the idea of a constituent assembly to frame a constitution for India?

  40. Nastaliq was

  41. High temperature and low pressure over the Indian sub-continent during the summer season, draws air from the Indian Ocean leading to the in-blowing of the

  42. Assertion (A): The British sovereignty continued to exist in free India.

    Reason (R): The British sovereign appointed the last Governor-General of free India.

    In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

  43. Who among the following is known for his work on medicine during the Gupta period?

  44. 'Saddle Peak', the highest peak of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is located in

  45. Assertion (A): Mangroves are very specialised forest ecosystems of tropical and subtropical regions bordering certain sea coasts.

    Reason (R): They stabilise the shoreline and act as bulwark against encroachments by sea.

    In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

  46. When the Chief Justice of a High Court acts in an administrative capacity, he is subject to

  47. Hawala transactions relate to payments

  48. Match List I (Ores) with List II (States where they are mined) and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:

    List I

    I.Manganese
    II.Nickel
    III.Lead-zinc
    IV.Asbestos

    List II

    A.Madhya Pradesh
    B.Orissa
    C.Rajasthan
    D.Andhra Pradesh

    Codes:

  49. Which one of the following sculptures invariably used green schist as the medium?

  50. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?

    I.Idukki — Thermal power station
    II.Sabarigiri — Hydro-electric project
    III.Ghatprabha — Irrigation project
    IV.Ramganga — Multipurpose project

    Select the correct answer by using the codes given below:

  51. According to the Constitution of India, the term ‘district judge’ shall not include

  52. The Eighth Five-Year Plan is different from the earlier ones. The critical difference lies in the fact that

  53. The sufi saint who maintained that devotional music was one way of coming close to God was

  54. Which one of the following sets of conditions is necessary for a good cultivation of wheat?

  55. Which one of the following is part of the electoral college for the election of the President of India but does not form part of the forum for his impeachment?

  56. What is the system of governance in the Panchayati Raj setup?

  57. Mughal painting reached its zenith under

  58. Which one of the following is an important crop of the Barak valley?

  59. Consider the following programmes:

    I.Afforestation and development of wastelands.
    II.Reforestation and replantation in existing forests.
    III.Encouraging the wood substitutes and supplying other types of fuel.
    IV.Promotion of wide use of insecticides and pesticides to restrict the loss of forest area from degradation caused by pests and insects.

    The National Forest Policy of 1988 includes

  60. Consider the following statements: No one can be compelled to sing the National Anthem since

    I.It will be violative of the Right to freedom of speech and expression.
    II.It will be violative of the Right to freedom of conscience and practise and propagation of religion.
    III.There is no legal provision obliging any one to sing the National Anthem.

    Of these statements

  61. In India, rural incomes are generally lower than the urban incomes.

    Which of the following reasons account for this?

    I.A large number of farmers are illiterate and know little about scientific agriculture.
    II.Prices of primary products are lower than those of manufactured products.
    III.Investment in agriculture has been low when compared to investment in industry.
  62. The term apabhramsa was used in medieval Sanskrit texts to denote

  63. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:

    List I

    I.Visakhadatta
    II.Varahamihira
    III.Charaka
    IV.Brahmagupta

    List II

    A) Medicine

    B) Drama

    C) Astronomy

    D) Mathematics

  64. Which one of the following statements is correct? The Prime Minister of India

  65. Assertion (A): Though India’s national income has gone up several fold since 1947, there has been no marked improvement in the per capita income level.

    Reason (R): Sizeable proportion of the population of India is still living below the poverty line.

    In the context of the above two statements which one of the following is correct?

  66. Which one of the following was a Saiva sect in ancient India?

  67. Local supply of coal is not available to

  68. Which one of the following areas of India produces largest amount of cotton?

  69. His ‘principal forte was social and religious reform. He relied upon legislation to do away with social ills and worked unceasingly for the eradication of child marriage, the purdah system …… To encourage consideration of social problems on a national scale, he inaugurated the Indian National Social Conference, which for many years met for its annual sessions alongside the Indian National Congress.’ The reference in this passage is to

  70. Who among the following leaders did not believe in the drain theory of Dadabhai Naoroji?

  71. Which one of the following has legalised euthanasia?

  72. B.R. Ambedkar was elected to the Constituent Assembly from
  73. “You might see a few curious Danes around, but that is because …… used to be Danish outpost. This quaint town with its fort and a beautiful church, the New Jerusalem, empty streets and deserted beach front is a quaint gem.” The place referred to in this quotation lies on the

  74. Which one of the following texts of ancient India allows divorce to a wife deserted by her husband?

  75. ‘They are fantastically diverse. They speak hundreds of languages and dialects. They comprise scores of ethnic groups. They include highly industrialised economies and up-and-coming economies. They span half the surface of the earth and are home to two-fifths of the world’s population.’ The group of countries referred to belongs to

  76. The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crime Act (1919) was popularly known as the

  77. Assertion (A): The word ‘minority’ is not defined in the Constitution of India.

    Reason (R): The Minorities Commission is not a constitutional body.

    In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

  78. Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

  79. The Palk Bay lies between

  80. Which one of the following countries has more or less evolved a two-party system?

  81. In medieval India, Mansabdari system was introduced mainly for

  82. Which one of the following sets of commodities are exported to India by arid and semi-arid countries in the Middle East?

  83. Which one of the following satellites is to be launched from India in 1996?

  84. Consider the following statements: Most international agencies which fund development programmes in India on inter-governmental bilateral agreements mainly provide

    I.Technical assistance.
    II.Soft loans which are required to be paid back with interest.
    III.Grants, not required to be paid back.
    IV.Food assistance to alleviate poverty.

    Of these statements —

  85. Which one of the following is a modern tank?

  86. In the 1996 Cricket World Cup, the non-Test playing countries which participated included

  87. Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

  88. Consider the following statements: Towards the close of 1995, the fortunes of Indian hockey were believed to be on the upswing because —

    I.India had won the Azlan Shah Cup in 1995.
    II.India beat Pakistan in the South Asian Federation Games final.
    III.India had by then qualified for the Atlanta Olympics.

    Of these statements —

  89. The following advertisement appeared in the Times of India dated 7th August:

    "THE MARVEL OF THE CENTURY THE WONDER OF THE WORLD LIVING PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES IN LIFE-SIZED REPRODUCTIONS BY MESSERS LUMIERE BROTHERS CINEMATOGRAPHIE A FEW EXHIBITIONS WILL BE GIVEN AT WATSON'S HOTEL TONIGHT". It appeared in the year —

  90. Consider the following items imported by India:

    I.Capital goods
    II.Petroleum
    III.Pearls and precious stones
    IV.Chemicals
    V.Iron and Steel The correct sequence of these items (as per 1994-95 figures) in decreasing order of value is —
  91. Consider the following rivers:

    I.Kishenganga
    II.Ganga
    III.Wainganga
    IV.Penganga The correct sequence of these rivers when arranged in the north-south direction is —
  92. Who among the following was the first European to initiate the policy of taking part in the quarrels of Indian princes with a view to acquire territories?

  93. Which one of the following is a modified stem?

  94. Fat present below the skin surface in our body acts as a barrier against

  95. Which of the following professional(s) are more likely to run the risk of a permanent change in their cell’s DNA?

    I.Researchers using carbon-14 isotope
    II.X-ray technician
    III.Coal miner
    IV.Dyer and painter

    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  96. Which one of the following is NOT an essential micronutrient for plants?

  97. Of the four landmarks in medical history given below, which one was the first to take place?

  98. The nutritional deficiency condition that needs to be given top priority for remedial action in India today is

  99. Living organisms require at least 27 elements, of which 15 are metals. Among these, those required in major quantities include

  100. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:

    List I

    I.Vitamin
    II.Enzyme
    III.Hormone
    IV.Protein

    List II

    A.Pepsin
    B.Carotene
    C.Keratin
    D.Progesterone
  101. Physico-chemical characteristics of water in water sources undergo changes due to

  102. Ecologists have so far found and certified a large number of species in the plant and animal kingdoms. In terms of members, the largest group identified so far is among the

  103. It is possible to produce seedless tomato fruits by

  104. Which of the following are associated with diabetes mellitus, a common disease in adults?

    I.Higher sugar level in blood
    II.Lower sugar level in blood
    III.Lower insulin level in blood
    IV.Higher insulin level in blood

    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  105. Consider the following statements: AIDS is transmitted —

    I.By sexual intercourse.
    II.By blood transfusion.
    III.By mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects.
    IV.Across the placenta.

    Of these statements —

  106. Which of the following would lead to ‘malnutrition’?

    I.Overnutrition
    II.Undernutrition
    III.Imbalanced nutrition

    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  107. People drinking water from a shallow hand pump are likely to suffer from all of the following diseases, except

  108. Besides proteins and carbohydrates, other elements of nutritional value found in milk include

  109. When an air bubble at the bottom of a lake rises to the top, it will

  110. When a mirror is rotated by an angle of θ, the reflected ray will rotate by

  111. A truck, a car and a motor cycle have equal kinetic energies. If equal stopping forces are applied and they stop after travelling a distance of x, y and z respectively, then

  112. Total internal reflection can take place when light travels from

  113. Assertion (A): Transformer is useful for stepping up or stepping down voltages.

    Reason (R): Transformer is a device used in D.C. circuits.

    In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

  114. Domestic electrical wiring is basically a

  115. Consider the following statements: At the present level of technology available in India, solar energy can be conveniently used to

    I.Supply hot water to residential buildings.
    II.Supply water for minor irrigation projects.
    III.Provide street lighting.
    IV.Electrify a cluster of villages and small towns.

    Of these statements

  116. A simple machine helps a person doing

  117. Consider the following statements: A person in a spaceship located half-way between the earth and the sun will notice that the

    I.Sky is jet black.
    II.Stars do not twinkle.
    III.Temperature outside the spaceship is much higher than that on the surface of the earth.

    Of these statements

  118. ‘Diamond Ring’ is a phenomenon observed

  119. The alpha particle carries two positive charges. Its mass is very nearly equal to that of

  120. The offending substance in the liquor tragedies leading to blindness, etc. is

  121. Which one of the following elements is alloyed with iron to produce steel which can resist high temperatures and also have high hardness and abrasion resistance?

  122. Match List I (Physiological processes) with List II (Cell organelles) and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:

    List I

    I.Photosynthesis
    II.Mineral uptake
    III.Respiration
    IV.Protein Synthesis

    List II

    A) Plasma membrane

    B) Chloroplast

    C) Mitochondria

    D) Ribosomes

    Codes:

  123. Examine the following statements:

    I.George attends Music classes on Monday.
    II.He attends Mathematics classes on Wednesday.
    III.His Literature classes are not on Friday.
    IV.He attends History classes on the day following the day of his Mathematics classes.
    V.On Tuesday, he attends his Sports classes.

    If he attends just one subject in a day and his Sunday is free, then he is also free on

  124. Consider the following figures:

    (i) a rectangle 4 cm × 9 cm

    (ii) a square of side 6 cm

    (iii) a right-angled triangle with base 8 cm and height 9 cm

    Which one of the following conclusions can be drawn from these figures?

  125. In an accurate clock, over a period of 2 hours 20 minutes, the minute hand will move over

  126. Two important characteristics of a hypothesis are that it should be testable and that it should be stated in a manner that it can be refuted.

    Which one of the following hypotheses fulfils these characteristics?

  127. If the price of a television set is increased by 25%, then by what percentage should the new price be reduced to bring the price back to the original level?

  128. If A = x² − y², B = 20 and x + y = 10, then

  129. Six roads lead to a country. They may be indicated by letters X, Y, Z and digits 1, 2,

    3.When there is storm, Y is blocked. When there are floods X, 1 and 2 will be affected. When road 1 is blocked, Z also is blocked. At a time when there are floods and a storm also blows, which road(s) can be used?
  130. The changing composition of the export trade is indicative of structural transformation of Indian economy in favour of modernisation. The best indicator of the trend is the

  131. When the frequency distribution is normal

  132. The next pair of letters in the series AZ, CX, FU, ...... is

  133. Mouse is to cat as fly is to

  134. The average of X1, X2 and X3 is 14. Twice the sum of X2 and X3 is 30. What is the value of X1?

  135. A rectangle has a perimeter of 50 metres. If its length is 13 metres more than its breadth, then its area is

  136. Two packs of cards are thoroughly mixed and shuffled and two cards are drawn at random, one after the other. What is the probability that both of them are Jacks?

  137. A man starts walking in the north-easterly direction from a particular point. After walking a distance of 500 metres, he turns southward and walks a distance of 400 metres. At the end of this walk he is situated

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