CDS General Knowledge 19 Nov 2017 Official Paper (Previous Year Paper)

Toda tribe is a Dravidian ethnic group that resides dominantly in the Blue (Nilgiri) Mountains of Tamil Nadu. Todas show co-existence with other tribal groups of Nilgiri like Kota, Badaga and Kurumba.

Famous geographer Mark Jefferson proposed the concept of the primate city in 1939. Jefferson gave the 'primate city' concept to explain the phenomenon of very large cities that hold such a large proportion of a country's population as well as its economic activity.

According to Jefferson, primate city as being "at least twice as large as the next largest city and more than twice as significant." Examples of 'primate city'are 'Tokyo' in Japan and 'Paris' in France etc.

'New Guinea' is the largest island from the given options but Greenland is the world's largest island.

The correct answer is Sericin.

• Sericin is a protein created by Bombyx mori (silkworms) in the production of silk. It constitutes 25-30% of silk protein.
• It envelops the fibroin fibres with successive sticky layers that help in the formation of the cocoon.
• Sericin gives a lustrous shiny appearance to silk fibre.

Important Points

Blue baby syndrome (infant methemoglobinemia), is a type of illness where a baby's skin turns bluish. It begins when large amounts of nitrates in water are ingested by an infant and converted to nitrite by the digestive system.

These nitrites bind to the hemoglobin in the body, forming methemoglobin, which is unable to carry oxygen. This syndrome occurs due to a decreased amount of hemoglobin in the baby's blood.

Mitochondria, Chloroplast, Ribosomes and Lysosomes are the cell organelles present in Eukaryotic cell.

In some animals there are two insulin genes; however, in most others, including humans, a single gene is present. The insulin gene present on chromosome 11 in humans. The insulin is synthesized as 'proinsulin', which is modified to make two functional polypeptides.

Pearl is a hard-sparkling object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as a conulariid.

Pearl is composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers.

When accelerated from the rest, the energy is fully kinetic.

So, the Kinetic Energy (KE) = Charge x Potential Difference

=

MV² = Q.V

• From the above equation, it is obvious that the velocity of particle is inversely proportional to the mass of that particle.
• So, electron will gain more speed as it has lower mass than proton. Also, the energy is fully kinetic in above case; hence, the electron will have greater energy as a result of greater velocity.

• As it is given in the question that electrical conductivity of wire 1 i.e. made up of copper is greater than wire 2 i.e. made up of aluminium.
• Electrical conductivity is inversely proportional to the resistance. So, the resistance of wire 2 will be higher than that of wire 1.

Angle of deviation: It is the angle made by the reflected ray and the original path of the incident ray (as shown in the diagram)

Angle of Deviation (𝛿)  = 180° - [ i + r ]  or  180°- 2i (as i=r) 

                                     = 180°- [ 40° + 40°]

                                     = 100°

Therefore, a ray of light will undergo a deviation of 100°

All the statements related to radiations/lights are correct except statement 4.

• The wavelength of infrared is more than that of ultraviolet radiation.
• The wavelength of ultraviolet is smaller than that of visible light.
• The photon energy of visible light is more than that of infrared light.
• The photon energy of ultraviolet is lesser than that of visible light.

Note:

• Order of frequency is as follows: Radio Waves< Microwaves< Infrared Radiation< Visible Light< Ultraviolet Radiation< X-rays< Gamma Rays.
• Order of wavelength is as follows: Radio Waves> Microwaves> Infrared Radiation> Visible Light> Ultraviolet Radiation> X-rays> Gamma Rays.

Whenever Power Conversion occurs in any device or machine then there is an opposition to the energy conversion which is converted to power loss or the power loss may occurs during transmission of power either in mechanical or electrical.

• In a transformer energy is converted to magnetic field and back to electrical energy, thus there exists magnetic losses i.e. hysteresis loss and Eddy current loss and electrical loss i.e. Cooper loss.
• These energy losses are dissipated in the form of heat thus generating heat in transformer.

The correct answer is Option 1.

Key Points

• A person is standing on a frictionless horizontal ground. He can move by a certain distance on this ground by sneezing.
• This is because of Newton’s 3rd law of motion. As he sneezes, air from his nose blows out with a strong force, as a result of this forward flow of air, there will be an opposite reaction that will lead to the backward movement of the person.
• Note: Newton’s 3rd law states that, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Bronsted and Lowry proposed the concept of acids and bases in the year 1923.

• As per the concept, acid is defined as a substance which has the tendency to give a proton while base is defined as a substance which has a tendency to accept a proton.
• In the above reaction, water accepts proton, hence it acts as a base.

There are 12 atoms of hydrogen per molecule of glucose, which has a molecular mass of 180g/mol. Hence, the number moles of hydrogen = 12 x 1.50 = 0.10 mol. Hence, the number of hydrogen atoms is found by multiplying this by the Avogadro Constant, 6.02 x 10²³. This will give 6.02 × 10²².

• Plaster of Paris (POP), quick-setting gypsum plaster consisting of a fine white powder (calcium sulfate hemihydrate), which hardens when moistened and allowed to dry.
• It is also known as the Plaster of Paris because for the preparation of POP, the abundant gypsum found near the capital city of France i.e. Paris.
• The chemical formula of Plaster of Paris is CaSO₄.$\frac{1}{2}$ H₂O.

• Flint glass is considered as the softer glass than any other glass.
• It is clearer and transparent. For making optical glass Potassium and lead silicates are used.
• The main use of flint glass is in the manufacturing of lenses, prisms, and other optical instruments.

Most ozone gas (about 90 %) is located in the atmospheric layer of Stratosphere.

Based on temperature variation our atmosphere can be classified into the following layers mainly;

• Troposphere – From Earth’s surface up to 10 km. Here, temperature decreases with increasing height. We, humans, live in the troposphere, and nearly all weather occurs in this lowest layer. Most clouds appear here.
• Stratosphere – From 10 km above the surface to 50 km above the surface. Here, temperature increases with increasing height due to the presence of the ozone layer. Ozone gas is capable of absorbing harmful UV rays and due to the absorption the temperature increases. All the aeroplanes fly in this zone as due to high temperature there is less turbulence and hence smoother flights are possible.
• Mesosphere – From 50 km above the surface to 85 km above the surface. Here, the temperature again decreases with increasing height. Most meteors burn up in the mesosphere
• Ionosphere – Beyond 85 km there is thermosphere layer and Ionosphere is a series of regions in parts of the mesosphere and thermosphere.

Note: Ozone(O₃) is blue in colour and has strong odour while Oxygen(O₂) is colourless and odourless.

CONCEPT:

BIOGAS:

• Biogas is a mixture of gases produced by anaerobic degradation of biomass in the presence of water but in the absence of oxygen.

EXPLANATION:

• It is a renewable source of energy on account of its production from vastly and continuous organic wastes.
• From the above, it is clear that biogas is a mixture of gases produced during the decomposition of biomass necessarily in the absence of oxygen.
• The spent slurry, being rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, thus it is good manure.
• Biogas generation reduces soil and water pollution
• Biogas is mainly composed of methane (up to 75%), CO2 (25%), and traces of other gases such as nitrogen and hydrogen. Therefore option 2 is correct.
• Whereas methane is a high-value calorific fuel, carbon dioxide is an inert gas. Therefore it has a high heating capacity.

• Rajasthan and Haryana are theonly states who have made it necessary to hold certain minimum educational qualifications to be eligible to contest Panchayat Elections.
• Karnataka, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh have put a restriction of having a toilet at home to be eligible to contest Panchayat Elections.

Note: Part IX relates to the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions and was added to the Constitution by the 73rd Amendment in 1993.

​The correct answer is 3 and 4.

Key Points

• Delegation is the act of empowering to act for another. In the other words, it is a group of persons chosen to represent others.
• Each member of the delegation is called a delegate.
• Delegation is the assignment of authority to another person to carry out specific activities.
• It is the process of distributing and entrusting work to another person. Hence, statement 1 is Not correct.
• Delegation is widely accepted as an essential element of effective management.
• Delegation begins when the manager passes on some of their responsibilities to a subordinate. Hence, statement 2 is Not correct.
• The process of delegation requires ‘preparation, initiation, implementation, and closure.
• It is strongly dependent on a supervisor's ability to communicate, motivate and understand individual preferences and differences. Hence, It is subject to supervision and review. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Delegation is one of the best-known methods for efficiently managing time and leads to numerous benefits within an organization. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

The correct answer is 1, 2 and 4 i.e. Rule of Law, Law Making procedure and Parliamentary system.

Features borrowed from the British constitution:

• Nominal Head i.e. President
• Cabinet System of Ministers
• Post of PM
• Parliamentary system
• Bicameral Parliament
• Lower House more powerful
• Council of Ministers responsible to Lowe House
• Speaker in Lok Sabha
• Rule of Law
• Law Making procedure

Note: Independence of judiciary and judicial review was borrowed from the USA.

Did you know?

70% of our constitution is based on the 1935 Government of India Act.

The fourth schedule is the correct answer.

• The fourth schedule has fixed the number of Members of the Rajya Sabha to be elected from each state.
• The allocation of seats is made on the basis of the population of each state.

Note: There are 12 schedules in the Indian constitution.

How to remember all the schedules: Code for 12 schedules is TEARS OF OLD PM

1st Schedule: T- Territory, 2nd Schedule: E- Emoluments/salary, 3rd Schedule: A- Affirmation/Oath, 4th Schedule: R- Rajya Sabha, 5th Schedule: S- Scheduled Tribes, 6th Schedule: O- Other Tribes, 7th Schedule: F- Federal (Division Of Powers), 8th Schedule: O- Official Regional Languages, 9th Schedule: L- Land Reform, 10th Schedule: D- Defection (Anti-Defection Law), 11th Schedule: P- Panchayati Raj, 12th Schedule: M- Municipal Corporation

In 2016-2017 the rate of increase in potato production was more than the onion production in comparison to 2015-2016. Hence, the 3^rd statement is not correct, and rest all are true.

Note: Horticulture is the cultivation, processing, and sale of fruits, nuts, vegetables, ornamental plants, and flowers. Many additional services are also associated with it.

Option two is correct.

• The demographic dividend is an economic benefit resulting from the increase in the working age population.
• For a demographic dividend, a country must go through a demographic transition where it switches from a largely rural agrarian economy with high fertility and mortality rates to an urban industrial society characterized by low fertility and mortality rates.
• India is currently going through the phase of the demographic dividend.

Note: The term, “demographic dividend”, was first coined by David Bloom.

The correct answer is (a) i.e. 1, 2, 3

All are related to Five-year plans of the Planning Commission

• Mahalanobis Model – Second Five-year plan. The essence of the model is a shift in the pattern of industrial investment towards building up a domestic consumption goods sector.
• Plan Holiday – After the failure of the third Five-year plan. The government declared plan holidays (from 1966–67, 1967–68, and 1968–69) and there were annual plans instead of Five-year plans.
• Rolling Plan - The Janta Government terminated the fifth Five-year plan in 1977-78 and launched its own sixth Five-year plan for period 1978-83 and called it a Rolling Plan

Note:Planning Commission is now replaced by NITI Aayog

The correct answer is1 and 2 only

Monetary policy is the macroeconomic policy laid down by the central bank.

• It involves the management of the money supply and interest rate
• It is used to achieve macroeconomic objectives like inflation, consumption, growth and liquidity.

Monetary policy in India is governed by RBI through various tools like

• Cash Reserve Ratio
• Statutory Liquidity Ratio
• Open market operations
• Bank rate
• Moral suasion

Note: According to the fourth bimonthly policy of 2018-19**, CRR is 4 and SLR is 19.5%**

Devaluation of currency will be more beneficial if prices of exports become cheaper to importers. Hence, b is the answer.

• Devaluation is the reduction in the value of currency and is generally used to combat trade imbalances.
• It will be more beneficial because more forex will inflow into our country.

Note: Devaluation is a monetary policy tool used by countries that have a fixed exchange rate or semi-fixed exchange rate.

Statement I is true and statement II is false.

• The main reason for skin cancer is ultraviolet radiations getting exposed to the body and ultraviolet radiation passes through the Stratosphere butStratosphere is not responsible for ultraviolet radiation entering to earth from the sun.
• Due to the depletion of ozone layer present in the Stratosphere, UV rays are entering the earth.

Note:

• UV radiations can be categorized into UVA, UVB and UVC. UVB is mainly responsible for the skin cancer.
• Ozone layer depleted due to the excessive use of CFCs.

Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I

• The interior part of Maharashtra does not receive adequate rain in the summer season because the interior part of Maharashtra lies in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats.
• Rain shadow is the lee side of a mountain and Western Ghats receives mostly orographic precipitation due to its topography.

**Note: **Orographic precipitation happens when moist air is lifted as it moves over a mountain range. As the air rises and cools, orographic clouds form and serve as the source of the precipitation, most of which falls upwind of the mountain ridge.

Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I

• Global warming is the phenomenon of increasing average air temperature near the surface of Earth over the past one to two centuries.
• It is mainly due to presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Note:

• Greenhouse gas is a gas that has the property of absorbing infrared radiation emitted from Earth’s surface and reradiating it back to Earth’s surface, thus contributing to the greenhouse effect.
• Carbon dioxide, Methane, and Water Vapour are the most common greenhouse gases.

The correct answer is Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I.

Key Points

• After the 1917 Russian Revolution, Important congress leaders got impressed with the leftism. Leaders of the Communist Party of India started working in collaboration with the leaders of congress. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• But in 1928, the leaders of the Communist Party of India declared Congress leaders as Capitalist and got separated from them. After that, the communists were no longer working with the mainstream national movement. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• In 1931, the communists also left the all India Trade Union Congress.

Additional Information

• All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) was founded in 1920 with Lala Lajpat Rai as its first president.
• Congressmen, Socialists, Communists worked in the AITUC which was the central trade union organization of workers of India.
• Subsequently, the trade union movement got split into political lines.
• The aim and objective of the All India Trade Union Congress is as follows:-
• To establish a socialist state in India.
• To socialize and nationalize the means of production, distribution, and exchange as far as possible.
• To ameliorate the economic and social conditions of the working class.
• To watch, promote, safeguard and further the interests, rights, and privileges of the workers in all matters relating to their employment.
• To secure and maintain for the workers: The freedom of speech, The freedom of the press, The freedom of association, The freedom of assembly, The right of the strike; and The right to work or maintenance
• To co-ordinate the activities of the trade unions affiliated to the AITUC;
• To abolish political or economic advantage based on caste, creed, community, race, or religion; to fight against all forms of social oppression and injustice;
• To fight against all forms of atrocities against women and harassment at place of work.
• The AITUC shall endeavor to further the aforesaid objects by all legitimate, peaceful, and democratic methods such as legislation and, in the last resort, by strikes and similar other methods, as the AITUC may, from time to time, decide.

Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I

• The early Aryans, who were essentially pastoral, did not develop any political structure which could measure up to a State in either ancient or modern sense.
• The tribes were organized as patriarchal groups and in the early stages, the chief of tribe was merely the tribal leader. They were not for a specific territory

Hence, they couldn’t measure up to a state.

Note: The family or the kulawas the smallest unit of political structure during the early vedic period.

Correct answer is Phulaguri Dhawa (1861)

• Phulaguri Dhawa Struggle (1861): Along with the land revenue under Ryotwari System, the British also introduced many oppressive taxation measures like grazing tax, tax on cutting grass and trees in jungles.
• From opium, bamboo, woods to jungle and water, there was no item of regular use that was spared from taxation.
• The amount and forms of revenue collection was so high as well as diverse that soon the people became restless.

Note: It was the first organized Peasant’s movement in Assam.

The correct answer is option 1.

Key Points 

• Sayyid brothers didn’t bring Jahandar Shah to power. Hence correct option is option A.
• Jahandar Shah was the first puppet ruler of the Mughal dynasty, having been placed on the throne by powerful noble Zulfiqar Khan. His reign was short and turbulent, lasting more than a year.
• The Sayyid brothers became king makers after the death of Aurangzeb. They played with the throne until 1710s and later on, helped Bahadur shah I to capture the throne.
• After the death of Bahadur Shah I, his successor Jahandar Shah was assassinated on the orders of the Sayyid Brothers.

Note: The term Sayyid brothers refers to Syed Abdullah Khan and Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha.

All the given statements are correct.

• Buddhism Says: This life is a suffering, and the only way to escape from this suffering is to dispel one's cravings and ignorance by practicing the Eightfold Path.
• Jainism Says: Respect all living things. Attain liberation by avoiding and shedding of bad karma which is the cause of rebirths and all sufferings.
• End goal of both Buddhism and Jainism is to attain Nirvana.
• The languages spoken by the masses of Jainism and Buddhism were Prakrit and Pali.

Note: Buddhism and Jainism movements were started to reform the Hinduism

The answer is option c i.e. 1792: National Convention

The perfect match is as following:

Year: Event

1804: Napoleonic Code

1789: Tennis Court Oath

1792: National Convention

1791: New Constitution of France

Note: French revolution lasted from 1789 until 1799.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau is the author of the book, The Social Contract.

Note:

• It is a book of 1762 in which Rousseau theorized about the best way to establish a political community in the face of the problems of commercial society.
• Rousseau asserts that only the people, who are sovereign, have that all-powerful right

Shankha Ghosh is the recipient of the Jnanpith Award, 2016.

• Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award.
• The award is bestowed onlyto Indian writers writing in Indian languages included in the Eighth schedule of Indian Constitution and English.
• The Bhartiya Janpith rewards Rs. 11,00,000 to the recipient.
• It was first awarded in 1965 to G. Sankara Kurup.

Note:

• The Bhartiya Jnanpith is a research and cultural institute founded in 1944 by industrialist Shahu Shanti Prasad Jain.
• Krishna Sobti was awarded for the year 2017 who is Hindi fiction writer and an essayist.

Answer is option b i.e. 2030

• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were born at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012.
• The objective was to produce a set of universal goals that meet the urgent environmental, political and economic challenges facing our world. The aim is to achieve 17 (SDGs) by the year 2030.

Note: The SDGs replaced the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which started a global effort in 2000 to tackle the indignity of poverty.

Teejan Bai is an exponent of Pandavani, a traditional performing art.

• The Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi Centenary Awardswere given to seven of India’s most-respected women artistes.
• Each of the awardees was given a shawl, a cut-out of MsSubbulakshmi, a cheque of Rs. 1 lakh and a CD with a collection of her songs.

Note: Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi was an Indian Carnatic singer from Tamil Nadu. She was first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratnaand also the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award.

K. Viswanath was the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, 2016

• Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s highest award in cinema.
• It is awarded for outstanding contribution to growth and development of Indian cinema.
• The Directorate of Film Festivals rewards Golden Lotus, A shawl and Rs. 1,000,000 to the recipient.
• It was first awarded in 1969 to Devika Rani

Note: In 2017, Vinod Khanna received the award and he was the second to receive the award post humously after Prithviraj Kapoor (1971).

The correct answer is All of them.

• Nobel Prize in Physics for the year 2016 was given to all of them for theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter
• In 2018, the Nobel Prize in Physics for the year 2018 was given for invention in the field of laser physics to Arthur Ashkin, Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland.

Note:

• Nobel prize is awarded for outstanding contributions for humanity in chemistry, literature, peace, physics, and physiology or medicine and economics.
• It was first given in 1901.
• The winner gets $1 million as cash prize, a medal and a diploma

The correct answer is People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance

• After having a hunger strike for almost 16 years, Irom Sharmila founded People’s Resurgence and justice Alliance in 2016 in Manipur.
• In 2017, the party contested two Assembly constituencies but was not even able to get 100 votes.

Note: The Goal of the party is to end the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the state of Manipur.

The correct answer is Saturn

• The Cassini–Huygens mission, commonly called Cassini, sent a probe to study the planet Saturn.
• It was the first to orbit Saturn and even first one to land in the outer solar system.

Note: Cassini–Huygens was a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency

The correct match is as follows:

Note: Strait is a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water.

The correct match is as follows:

Note: Pass is a path for crossing a mountain.

The correct match is as follows:

Note: Headquarter of TISCO and BPCL is in Mumbai while BALCO’s Headquarter is in New Delhi and BEL’s Headquarter is in Bengaluru.

The correct match is as follows:

Note: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is the nodal agency responsible for building, upgrading and maintaining most of the national highways network

Additional Information

• NH -7 is now renamed as NH-44.
• But, in the government documents it is still refreed as NH-7.

One carbon credit is accepted as equivalent to 1000 kg of carbon dioxide.

Carbon credit:

• It is the difference between the carbon emissions allowed and actually emitted carbon.

Key Points

• A carbon credit is a permit that allows the company that holds it to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases.
• One credit permits the emission of a mass equal to one ton of carbon dioxide.
• One credit permits the emission of a mass equal to one ton of carbon dioxide.

Additional Information

• The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) developed a carbon credit proposal to reduce worldwide carbon emissions in a 1997 agreement known as the Kyoto Protocol.
• The agreement set binding emission reduction targets for the countries that signed it.
• Another agreement, known as the Marrakesh Accords, spelt out the rules for how the system would work.

Note:

A proposal for Carbon credit was presented by IPCC and ratification of the International carbon credit system is in agreement with the Kyoto Protocol.

The correct answer is two liquids

• An emulsion is a special type of colloid made by combining two liquids that normally don't mix.
• Examples of emulsions are Egg yolk, butter etc.
• Even though the liquids that form them may be clear, emulsions appear cloudy or colored because light is scattered by the suspended particles in the mixture.

Note: An emulsion is a type of colloid, but not all colloids are emulsions.

The correct answer is All of the above

All these radioactive substances enters the human body through food chain and causes many physiological disorders.

• Strontium-90 is particularly dangerous for growing children and is believed to contribute to bone cancer and leukemia
• High exposure to Iodine-131 affects the thyroid gland
• Exposure to Cs-137 can increase the risk for cancer because of exposure to high-energy gamma radiation.

Xeriscaping reduces or eliminates the need for supplemental water by proper landscaping and gardening.

Note:

Xeriscaping is based on the following principles:

• Planning and Design
• Soil Improvement
• Practical Turf Area
• Efficient Irrigation
• Mulch
• Low Water-Use Plants
• Appropriate Maintenance

The answer is Isenthalpic process

• Joule-Thomson process is a throttling process in which the temperature of a gas or liquid decreases when it is forced through an insulated valve.
• The gas-cooling throttling process is used in refrigeration processes such as air conditioners, heat pumps, and liquefiers.

Note: Hydraulic oil gets warm when throttled and can be used to detect leakages.

Ultrasonic waves are produced by making use of piezoelectric material.

• Ultrasonic waves are used to detect objects and measure distances.
• They have frequency greater than 20 kHz and humans can’t hear it.

Note: Piezoelectricity means electricity resulting from pressure and latent heat.

CONCEPT:

• Newton’s Third Law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
• Newton’s first law states that an object that remains in uniform motion will remain in uniform motion unless it is acted upon by an external force.
• Force: The interaction which after applying on a body changes or try to change the state of rest or state of motion is called force.

Force (F) = Mass (m) × acceleration (a)

EXPLANATION:

• If the net resultant force is zero, then the acceleration of the body will be zero, and the state of motion is not changed and hence the object will move with constant velocity. So option 4 is correct.

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only.

• The main difference between nuclear reactor and nuclear bomb is the amount of fissile material used.
• In nuclear reactor less fissile material is present while in nuclear bomb around 90% fissile material is present.
• The rate of energy release in atomic bomb is high.

Note: The first moderator used was Graphite in Chicago Pile 1.

The answer is Urea into ammonia

• Some bacteria can produce enzymes which decompose urea present in urine into ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Note: Urease is the enzyme which decomposes urea**.**

The answer is “Larger than osmotic pressure”

• Reverse osmosis is a process by which a solvent pass through a porous membrane in the direction opposite to that for natural osmosis.
• For reverse osmosis to happen the pressure applied should be larger than osmotic pressure.

Note: Osmotic pressure is the minimum pressure which needs to be applied to a solution to prevent the inward flow of its pure solvent across a semipermeable membrane**.**

The answer is Rubber.

• Glycogen, starch and cellulose are made up of hundreds of glucose monomers while rubber is made up of isoprene monomers.

Note: Starch is an energy reservoir for plants while glycogen is for animals.

The answer is acetone.

• Tincture of Iodine is an antiseptic liquid whose ingredients are iodine, potassium iodide, water and alcohol.
• Tincture of Iodine can also be used for water purification.

Note: It is also referred as Weak Iodine solution and it can destroy both bacteria and viruses.

Fundamental Rights guaranteed in the constitution of Indian can be suspended only by a proclamation of National Emergency.

• Right to freedom is automatically suspended but Right to life and personal liberty cannot be suspended. Such suspension needs parliament approval.

Note: Fundamental Rights can be suspended during the Emergency under Article 359 of the constitution

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only.

Key Points

• 73rd Constitution Amendment Act 1992 inserted Part IX (The Panchayats) in the Indian Constitution.
• Article 243, 243A to 243O under Part IX has been included in the Indian Constitution.
• Article 243D deals with the reservation of seats in the Panchayats. It says that not less than one-third (including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Panchayat shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Panchayat. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• 74rd Constitution Amendment Act 1992 inserted Part IXA (The Municipality) in the Indian Constitution.
• Article 243p to 243Z and 243ZA to 243ZG under Part IXA have been included in the Indian Constitution.
• Article 243T deals with the reservation of seats in The Municipality. It says that not less than one-third (including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Municipality shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Municipality. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• Article 243E:- Duration of Panchayats.
• Every Panchayat, unless sooner dissolved under any law for the time being in force, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer.
• Article 243U:- Duration of Municipalities.
• Every Municipality, unless sooner dissolved under any law for the time being in force shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer Provided that a Municipality shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard before its dissolution. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Few states like Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and some other tribes area don’t have a three-tier system of government. The act does not apply to these areas. Hence statement 1 is Not correct.

The answer is 3 only

• A bill which requires special majority in both the houses cannot be introduced in a Joint sitting of the Parliament. We know that, for amending the Constitution, special majority in both the houses is required. Hence, it can’t be introduced in the joint sitting.
• Even, for Money Bill, Rajya sabha can only recommend some changes and it is Lok Sabha only which passes the money bill. Hence there is no point in introducing the Money Bill in the joint bill. Therefore c i.e. 3 only is the answer
• Ordinary Bills require Simple majority in both the houses.

Note: According to Article 108, a joint sitting is called by the President and presided over by the Speaker**.**

The answer is 1 and 2 only.

• Directive principles – According to article 38 of the constitution the state shall endeavour to promote the welfare of the people by securing a social order permeated by social, economic and to minimize inequalities in income, status, facilities and opportunities.
• Fundamental Rights – Certain restrictions can be imposed on fundamental rights. According to 19(2), Right to freedom of speech and expression can be restricted by state if it is in the interest of sovereignty or integrity of the state.
• Secularism – It is nothing but the separation of religion from state. India is a secular country while countries like Afghanistan, Algeria etc. are not secular.

Note: Fundamental Rights are justiciable, as they can be enforced, whereas directive principles are not justiciable

The answer is 1, 2 and 4.

Key Points

• President:
• President is the head of the Union Executive.
• He is indirectly elected by an electoral college, in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
• Qualifications:
• ​He should be a citizen of India.
• He should have completed 35 years of age.
• He should be qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha.
• He should not hold any office of profit under the Union Government or any State Government or any local authority or any other public authority.
• Article 60 deals with the Oath and Affirmation of the President.
• The oath of the President is administered by the Chief Justice of India and in his absence, the seniormost Judge of the Supreme Court.
• According to Article 56, the President shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters his office.
• President is Indirectly elected in India.
• Except for the Legislative Councils of States, the President of India is elected by an Electoral College comprising of both the Houses of the Parliament, the Legislative Assemblies of States and the Legislative Assemblies of NCT of Delhi and Puducherry.
• The total weightage in the voting of all the MPs and MLAs is roughly the same and among states, the weightage is according to the population.

Important Points

• The manner of election of the President is provided by Article 55 of the Constitution.

The correct answer is 1, 2 and 3 only

Key Points

• Article 15 deals with the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth. But it also says “Nothing in this article or in clause (2) of Article 29 shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes”.Statement 1, 2 and 3 are true
• Article 30 deals with the Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions and not with the admission of schedule castes and scheduled tribes to the minority educational institutions. Hence the Statement 4 is wrong

• The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes comprise about 16.6% and 8.6%, respectively, of India's population.

The Article 21 includes all the three points mentioned above, i.e.

• Rights of trans genders
• Rights of craniopagus twins
• Rights of mentally retarded women to bear a child

Note:

**Article 21 says that “**No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to a procedure established by law.”

• Right to life: ‘Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person’.
• Right to personal liberty: In this country it is a fundamental right of everyone to live with dignity and a life free from exploitation.

Among the given options B.N Rau was not the member of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent assembly.

• There were 7 members in the drafting committee and one Constitutional Adviser
• Drafting committee was headed by B.R Ambedkar

Note: B.N Rau was the Constitutional Adviser to the Constituent Assembly.

The factors for Industrial Revolution in England were all of the options given.

• The large deposits of iron and coal near the surface provided the raw materials, which enhanced the Industrial revolution.
• The icon of the Industrial Revolution was the steam engine, which were used in all sorts of applications.
• Mainly the raw materials was the basis of industrialisation in the industrial revolution.

Note:

• The Industrial Revolution was a process of change from an agrarian and handicraft economy to the one dominated by machines and industries.
• It began in the 18^th century in Britain.

The answer is 1 and 2 only

Indicators used by the World Economic Forum to calculate Global Competitiveness Index for 2016-17 were:

• Efficiency enhancer sub index
• Innovation and sophistication factors sub index

Note:

• The Global Competitiveness Index evaluates the potential of countries to provide welfare to their citizens.
• The Index basically measures the economic prosperities

The base year of the Gross domestic product series has been shifted from 2004-2005 to 2011-12

Note:

• The Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, revises the base year of the macroeconomic indicators, as a regular exercise, to capture structural changes in the economy and improve the quality and representativeness of the indices.
• In this direction, the base year of the all-India Index of Industrial Production (IIP) has also been revised from 2004-05 to 2011-12 to not only reflect the changes in the industrial sector but to also align it with the base year of other macroeconomic indicators like the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Wholesale Price Index (WPI).

The perfect match is follows:

Note: A deficit is an amount by which something, especially a sum of money falls short of a mark.

The correct chronological order is:

• Qutub Minar
• Tughlaqabad Fort
• Bada Gumbad in Lodhi Garden
• Fatehpur Sikri

Note:

• Qutub Minar - Qutub-ud-din-aibak, founder of Delhi Sultanate, started the construction of Qutub Minar’s first storey around 1192.
• Tughlaqabad Fort - It was built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, founder of Tughlaq dynasty in 1321.
• Bada Gumbad in Lodhi Garden - It was constructed in 1490 CE.
• Fatehpur Sikri - The city was founded as the capital of Mughal Empire in 1571.

The answer is Irfan Habib

With regard to nature of Mughal State, Irfan Habib argued that “the peculiar feature of the State in Mughal India was that it served not merely as the protective arm of the exploiting classes but was itself the principal instrument of exploitation”.

Note: Irfan Habib argued for the crisis related to cultivated land, he broadly accepts the concentrated nature of Mughal polity and the large amount of surplus that the land-tax represented.

The correct match is as follows

In Amarakosha, land has been grouped according to fertility, physical composition and situation like-

• Urvara - Fertile land
• Usara - Barren land
• Maru - Desert land
• Aprahata - Fallow land
• Saadvala - Grassy land
• Pankila - Muddy land
• Jalapraayamanupam - Wet land
• Nadimaatraka - Land watered by river
• Devamaatraka - Land watered by rain

Note: In Vedic age, land was classified as Urvara (cultivable land), Khila (barren land), Dhanva (waste land) and Aranya (forest)

The editor of the journal Indian Social Reformer that was started in 1890 was K. N. Natarajan (Kamakshi Natarajan).

Note: The journal Indian Social Reformer worked to grow the small rural society into the modern society.

The correct match is as follows:

Note:

• Industrial regions are the areas, where centralisation of industries has occurred due to favourable geo-economic conditions.
• These are areas within which manufacturing industry is carried out on a relatively large scale and employs a relatively large proportion of population.

• Satpura mountain range is the part of Deccan plateau. The hills stretch for some 900 km across the widest part of peninsular India, through Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh states.
• Vindhya mountain range from Gujarat state on the west, it extends about 1,086 km across MadhyaPradesh state to touch Ganga River valley near Varanasi, UttarPradesh.
• Aravalli mountain range runs north-east for 560 km and mostly in Rajasthan
• Mahadeo mountain range is in the northern part of the Satpura range, in the southern Madhya Pradesh state.

Note:

India has seven highest mountain ranges:

• The Himalaya Range
• Karakoram and Pir Panjal Range
• Eastern Mountain range or The Purvanchal Range
• The Satpura and Vindhaya Range
• The Aravalli Range
• The Western Ghats
• The Eastern Ghats

The correct answer is 1, 3 and 4 only.

• The Deccan Plateau gradually rises from North to South. It extends over 8 Indian states
• The Western Satpuras separate the Narmada and Tapi rivers. Its highest point is Dhupgarh
• The Chota Nagpur Plateau is composed of Archaean granite and gneiss rocks. Its highest point is Pareshnath Hill.
• Vindhyan scarps forms the southern wall of the Malwa plateau in Madhya Pradesh. Malwa plateau is of volcanic origin.

Additional Information

• Peninsular Plateau is triangular shaped, the extension of this is from the south of Indo-Ganga Plain to the Kanyakumari.
• It is one of the oldest surfaces of the earth and represents a segregated part of the old Gondwanaland.

The answer is “Income distance”

• Article 280 of the Indian Constitution requires the composition of the Finance Commission in every five years
• The Finance Commission is required to recommend the distribution of the net proceeds of taxes of the Union between the Union and the States
• The recommendation of tax devolution at 42% is a huge jump from the 32% recommended by the 13th Finance Commission
• Y. V. Reddy is the chairman of 14th Finance commission
• Criteria and weights for the horizontal distribution of the tax is as follows;

• Uttar Pradesh has the biggest share in the taxes of union government followed by the Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.

Note: N.K. Singh is the Chairman of 15^th Finance Commission.

A Money bill passed by the Lok Sabha can be held up by the Rajya Sabha for its recommendations, for a period of fourteen days, i.e. ‘two weeks’.

• Rajya Sabha can’t vote on Money bill
• Decision of Speaker of Lok Sabha on Money bill is final and can’t be challenged.

Note: A Money bill is a bill that is simply concerned with taxation or appropriation of money, as opposed to changes in public law.

Constitutional safeguards available to the civil servants are ensured by the Article 311 of the Indian constitution.

Note: The article 311 acts as a safeguard to civil servants.

The procedure laid down in Article 311 is intended to assure,

• A measure of security of tenure to Government servants, who are covered by the Article.
• To provide certain safeguards against arbitrary dismissal or removal of a Government servant or reduction to a lower rank.

A writ issued to secure the release of a person found to be detained illegally is Habeas corpus.

• Mandamus means ‘We command’. It is an order from the Supreme Court or High Court to a lower court or tribunal or public authority to perform a public or statutory duty.
• Certiorari means ‘To be certified’. The writ of certiorari can be issued by the Supreme Court or any High court for quashing the order already passed by an interior court, tribunal or quasi-judicial authority.
• Prohibition means to forbid or to stop and it is popularly known as ‘Stay order’.

Note:

• The Indian Constitution empowers the Supreme Court to issue writs for enforcement of any of the fundamental rights conferred by Part 3 of the Indian Constitution under Article 32.
• The power to issue writs is primarily a provision made to make available the Right to constitutional remedies to every citizen.

Annual Financial Statement cannot be introduced first in the Rajya Sabha.

Note: Annual Financial Statement is a document presented to the Parliament in every financial year as a part of Budget process under the Article 112 of the constitution of India.

The National Commission for Women was created under the provisions of the Indian Constitution by an Act passed by the Parliament

Note:

• The National Commission for Women was established in January in 1992.
• Its objective is to represent the rights of women in India and to provide a voice for their issues and concerns including dowry, politics, religion, and equal representation for women in jobs.

P. N. Bhagwati, was the Chief Justice of India when Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was introduced in the Indian Judicial System.

Note: Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is the legal practice to help the poor people or an action initiated for the protection of Public interest.

The twelfth century Sanskrit scholar who was first responsible for the compilation of ‘Nibandhas’ or digests of epic and Puranic texts was ‘Lakshmidhara’.

Note: The compilation of nibandhas is known as Kalpataru, which is based on the various Hindu aspects such as dharmas, vedas and puranas.

Geoffrey Kay’s not so famous dictum is “capital created underdevelopment not because it exploited the underdeveloped world, but because it did not exploit it enough”.

Note: “Development and Underdevelopment: A Marxist Analysis” is one of the books written by Geoffrey Kay.

• The fifth century Tamil epic Silappadikaram, praises the river Cauvery.
• It features an unusual praise of the Sun, the Moon, the river Cauvery and the city of Poompuhar at its beginning, the contemporary tradition being to praise a deity.

Note: Silappadikaram is one of the five great epics and the earliest poem in the Tamil literature.

Harappan Culture didn’t mark the earliest known use of iron as a medium for the art of sculpting.

• It was the first civilization in the Indian subcontinent.
• Harappans are believed to have used Indus Script, a language consisting of symbols. The script has not been deciphered yet but it is known that they used to write from right to left.
• Male torso and the Bearded priest are the two remarkable stone sculptures of Harappa civilization.

Note: Copper and bronze were in use during the Harappa civilization.

• Bhaskara belonged to Varman Dynasty of Assam.
• He was the most eminent of the monarchs of the ancient kingdom of Kamarupa

Note: It was established by Pushyavarman.

The correct answer is “1, 2 and 4”

• Tsomgo lake is in Sikkim and rest all other lakes are in Ladakh.
• Tso kar is a fluctuating salt lake.
• During winter the Pangong Tso lake freezes completely, despite being saline water.
• Tso moriri is the largest high-altitude lake in India

Note: Tsomgo lake is also known as Changu Lake

The correct answer is “A country under threat of submergence due to ice melting and sea level rise”

• Tuvalu is a group of nine tiny islands in the South Pacific
• Its population is around 10000
• No point in the country is higher than 4.5m above sea level in the country and is in a threat of submergence due to ice melting and sea level rise due to global warming

Note: It won Independence from the United Kingdom in 1978

The correct answer is 1, 2 and 3.

Key Points

Statement 1: Rainfall, temperature and vegetation vary with latitude.

• At equator, the rainfall is maximum, and amount of rainfall generally decreases away from equator.
• Temperature also generally decreases away from the equator.
• Vegetation depends upon rainfall and temperature and hence it also varies with latitude.

Statement 2: The difference between the longest day and the shortest day increases with latitude.

• At latitude 0° (the Equator) day length will be approximately 12 hours.
• Areas on the Equator have a constant 12 hours of day light all year round.
• Moving away from the Equator as latitude increases to polar circles - north or south-day length can be seen to increase to 24 hours in summer or decrease to zero in winter.

Statement 3: Indira Point is located approximately at 6°45' N latitude. It is the southern-most tip of India.

Note:

• Latitudes are the angular distances of a place north or south of the earth's equator, or of the equator of a celestial object.
• For reference Equator is taken as 0° and the latitudes of both the poles are at 90° to the Equator.

The correct match is as follows:

Note:

• Tectonic lakes are lakes formed by the deformation and resulting lateral and vertical movements of the Earth's crust
• Lagoon lakes are shallow bodies of water which got separated from a larger body of water by some barrier or reefs
• A landslide dam or barrier lake is a natural damming of a river by some kind of landslides, such as debris flows and rock avalanches, or by volcanic eruptions
• A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera